New AI-led industrial revolution should be embraced: NVIDIA president

Short Url
Updated 12 February 2024
Follow

New AI-led industrial revolution should be embraced: NVIDIA president

  • New discoveries are always scary so education, safety rules needed, says NVIDIA President Jensen Huang
  • Saudi Aramco is a leader in adopting the new technology, says head of tech firm

DUBAI: The world is undergoing a new industrial revolution led by artificial intelligence, says NVIDIA President Jensen Huang, but he warned that there were still fears attached to AI that presented hurdles to its evolution.

Speaking on Monday at the World Governments Summit in Dubai, he said that AI was essential for improved efficiencies.

“If you want cost-effective acceleration then your answer is AI and accelerated computing. Computer programming use for everything is no longer an option or even possible now,” Huang said.

Huang said the world was at the beginning of a new era. “There will now be less amount of tools usually needed for different reasons. AI can centralize that. In the last 10 years, I must say, one of the greatest contributions we made was advancing computing and AI by a million-fold.”

He said the era of computer programming, which had developed over the past 60 years, was gradually being taken over by AI, adding that the new technology was now more widely accessible.

“My team and I were first discovered by others and the process of discovery will continue to reach every researcher around the world. There has been an awakening in every single country that AI is not this scary or mystifying issue. It is, simply put, the production of intelligence.”

The idea of a sovereign AI — adapted to meet the requirements of each country — has evolved in a way that every country can use it in their own way in terms of data, language and in various sectors. The democratization has enabled each to use it for their own tailored needs, he added.

“Look at how Saudi’s Aramco used it for its own benefit by including several languages to make it more accessible for people,” Juang said.

But despite its benefits, he acknowledged that for a lot of people the idea of AI was still terrifying.

“Without the internet can we be digital at all? Without farms will you be able to produce food?

“Whenever a new technology is created, whether it was medicine or airplanes, there is always an interest to scare people away from it and that’s a mistake.” 

Juang continued: “We have to develop the technological safety and teach people how to use it. We also need transparency and open-source language.

“Also, we should be encouraging people to engage in AI. You see, reason why it has become so talked about is because anyone can now become a programmer. The tech divide has been closed.”


Operational challenges bring Riyadh Airport to a near standstill

Updated 19 December 2025
Follow

Operational challenges bring Riyadh Airport to a near standstill

  • Airlines issue statements, while sources tell Arab News rain is to blame

RIYADH: Thousands of passengers travelling to and from King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh were left stranded as major airlines struggled to offer alternative flights following a slew of cancellations and delays.

Saudia and flyadeal were among the aviation firms who faced difficulties, with the two airlines putting out statements blaming temporary operational challenges for the issues.

A statement from the airport on its official X account urged travelers to contact airlines directly before heading to the aviation hub to verify the updated status and timing of their flights.

The statement said: “King Khalid International Airport would like to inform you that, due to the concurrence of a number of operational factors over the past two days —including several flights diverting from other airports to King Khalid International Airport, in addition to scheduled maintenance works within the fuel supply system — this has resulted in an impact on the schedules of some flights, including the delay or cancellation of a number of flights operated by certain airlines.”

The airport added that operational teams are working “around the clock in close coordination with our airline partners and relevant stakeholders to address developments and restore operational regularity as soon as possible”, while taking all necessary measures to minimize any impact on the passenger experience.

Airport sources told Arab News that the issue has to do with the heavy rain Riyadh experienced earlier on Friday. Water apparently got into the fuel tankers supposed to refuel jets before they fly, and then several airlines struggled to re-schedule passengers. 

It its own statement on X, Saudia said: “Affected guests are being contacted through various communication chanels, with all ticket changes processed at no additional cost.”

Arab News reached out to Saudia for further information.

Also in a post on X, flyadeal said any of it passengers impacted by the disruption “will be notified directly by emails and SMS with rebooking and support options.”