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Saudi Deputy Minister for International Multilateral Affairs Abdulrahman Al-Rassi was visited by UK Ambassador to the Kingdom Neil Crompton in Riyadh on Wednesday.
The ambassador visited to bid farewell on the occasion of the end of his tenure in the Kingdom, the Foreign Ministry wrote in a post on X.
Al-Rassi praised the ambassador’s efforts in strengthening and advancing relations between the two countries.
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia launched the Global Symposium for Regulators, GSR-25, at the King Abdulaziz International Conference Centre, convening over 190 nations to address the digital divide affecting 2.6 billion people.
The International Telecommunication Union and Saudi Arabia’s Communications, Space and Technology Commission co-host the summit through Sept. 3.
RIYADH: Speaking at the opening ceremony on Monday, Haitham Al-Ohaly, CST governor and GSR-25 chair, said, “Today, we have a golden opportunity to shape humanity’s future for the next 160 years.
“Therefore, we announce a new roadmap with the ITU to connect humanity through affordable AI-era solutions,” he said.
Al-Ohaly stated that, despite progress, 2.6 billion people remain excluded from the digital world, highlighting disparities in regulations and access costs.
Citing a Saudi-ITU study presented at the ceremony, the governor said, “The world requires $1.7 trillion just for connectivity infrastructure — triple prior estimates. Closing all digital gaps demands up to $2.8 trillion across infrastructure, skills, affordability, and regulation.”
On the sidelines of the summit, Saudi Minister of Communications and Information Technology Abdullah Al-Swaha met with ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin.
Al-Ohaly attended the meeting, where both sides discussed enhancing digital economy growth, developing digital skills, enabling digital entrepreneurship, and Saudi Arabia’s initiatives for human empowerment and environmental protection.
The event continues with technology exhibitions showcasing Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 digital leadership and policy workshops advancing the new inclusion framework.
It comes as Saudi Arabia aims to become a global digital leader following its appointment to the UN’s ITU digital regulation network board. Internet use in the Kingdom reached 99 percent in 2024.
GSR-25 will close with a resolution outlining regulatory principles for the post-digital era, based on participants’ insights and session recommendations.
RIYADH: The Museums Commission launched the first phase of the mobile interactive exhibition “Our Saudi Story: A Window into Museums,” the first of its kind in the Kingdom to showcase regional museum collections through modern technology.
The exhibition began its tour in Buraidah, Qassim region, coinciding with the Buraidah Dates Carnival, and will run until Sept. 13, offering visitors a sensory, visual, and auditory experience.
The title “Our Saudi Story” reflects the brand identity of the regional museums the commission plans to inaugurate in phases over the coming years, according to a Saudi Press Agency report.
Together, these 11 museums will present the cultural and civilizational heritage of Saudi Arabia’s regions, with each museum highlighting a distinct story within a shared narrative of national pride.
The exhibition opened to visitors with 11 selected artifacts digitally reimagined and presented through motion design and sound effects, allowing direct interaction with the Kingdom’s heritage.
The commission said that the exhibition aims to provide modern cultural experiences that enhance public awareness of heritage, showing how technology can preserve national identity and engage new generations.
RIYADH: The Saudi cabinet on Tuesday emphasized the Kingdom’s role in addressing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, reviewing its ongoing diplomatic efforts to secure a ceasefire, facilitate the delivery of relief and aid, and support the two-state solution.
Chaired by Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the session also covered a message from Russian President Vladimir Putin and a meeting with Palestinian Vice President Hussein Al-Sheikh.
Minister of Media Salman bin Yousef Al-Dosari told the Saudi Press Agency that the cabinet reviewed developments in the occupied Palestinian territories and reaffirmed the importance of the joint statement issued by the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia and Italy.
The statement called for an immediate cessation of hostilities in Gaza, condemned measures that undermine the two-state solution, and renewed the countries’ commitment to achieving a just, secure, and comprehensive peace in the Middle East.
RIYADH: Superstar Cristiano Ronaldo is the face of a new Saudi Tourism campaign to showcase the Kingdom’s packed events calendar as the country grows into a major sporting and cultural destination for foreign and domestic travelers.
Branded “Unreal Calendar,” the marketing campaign launched on Tuesday features a short video narrated by Ronaldo, who plays for Riyadh’s Al-Nassr.
The 60-second clip shows the football legend enjoying several top sporting events hosted in the Kingdom, mixed with scenes of him playing for Al-Nassr.
The video wraps up with several non-sporting events for visitors to enjoy, including cultural and heritage activities, as Ronaldo declares: “I came for football, I stayed for more.”
The marketing push comes at the start of the Kingdom’s extended season of sports, entertainment, film, fashion and cultural events.
The Saudi Tourism Authority said the campaign will be launched in several key markets in Europe, as well as India and China.
It aims to highlight Saudi Arabia’s diverse, year-round sports and entertainment events held across Riyadh, Jeddah and AlUla, with curated packages making it easier to visit.
As hosts of the FIFA World Cup 2034, AFC Asian Cup 2027, Esports Olympics Games 2027, Asian Winter Games 2029 among others, Saudi Arabia is bringing sport home.
The Kingdom’s regular calendar has major international events including the Esports World Cup, Formula 1, LIV Golf Riyadh, tennis, and the Saudi Pro League — cementing its position as a hub for largescale events.
Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb said: “Today, Saudi is cementing its place as a global destination that combines cultural authenticity, warm hospitality, and the thrill of world-class events.”
“In the tourism sector, we remain steadfast in our commitment to developing a seamless landscape that inspires the world and provides visitors with unforgettable experiences.”
Ronaldo has become the face of sports in the Kingdom since he joined Al-Nassr in 2022 ahead of a flood of big names from top European teams into the Saudi Pro League.
The Portuguese legend, who recently extended his contract to stay in Riyadh until 2027, said: “Being part of Saudi Arabia’s journey as a global sports hub has been truly special and somehow unexpected for me a few years ago.
“Today, the truth is, that from the energy of the fans to the scale of ambition — this is where the future of sport is being written.”
“What I admire most about Saudi is how it honors its roots while building for the future. From camels to horses, racing to esports, from the desert to the stadium — this is a place where every young athlete can dream big.”
The Kingdom is investing to become a global hub for sporting and cultural attractions, as a part of the Saudi Vision 2030 plan to diversify the economy and expand the tourism sector.
It has committed $800 billion to the sector, which is projected to reach $22.4 billion in market value by 2030 and contribute $16.5 billion to gross domestic product by 2030, according to the Saudi Tourism Authority.
Fahd Hamidaddin, CEO of the Saudi Tourism Authority, said: “This campaign with CR7 is a showcase of Saudi today, and our ambitions. Tourism is a core component of our vision, and we are continuously expanding our offerings.”
ALKHOBAR: As Vision 2030 accelerates Saudi Arabia’s health transformation, experts say success will depend on blending investment, innovation and patient-centered care.
The Kingdom’s healthcare sector is at a crossroads. Rising rates of chronic disease, surging patient numbers, and a shortage of medical professionals are straining capacity.
Billions of riyals are being poured into new hospitals and clinics, but leaders say bricks and mortar alone will not be enough.
Artificial intelligence is increasingly seen as the lever that could ease the burden. Yet experts caution the technology is no silver bullet. Its success depends on how it is deployed.
“Fragmentation of care, resource shortages, and rising costs driven by chronic diseases remain the Kingdom’s biggest challenges,” said Dr. Mansoor Khan, CEO of Persivia, a US-based healthcare AI company that partners with Saudi Arabia providers.
No country has deployed AI at large scale in healthcare yet. Saudi Arabia has the human and financial capital to lead on the global stage.
Dr. Mansoor Khan, Persivia CEO
“AI is not one thing — it’s a set of technologies that need to be used carefully, mapped to specific problems and workflows.”
From the market side, Dr. Gireesh Kumar, associate partner for healthcare advisory at Knight Frank, a global property consultancy with active presence in Riyadh, points to looming capacity gaps.
According to a Knight Frank analysis published in August this year, Riyadh alone will need 4,500 new hospital beds within five years — a SR7 billion ($1.86 billion) investment, 60 percent of it funded by the private sector.
By 2040, the shortfall could climb to 15,300 beds based on global benchmarks.
The strongest use cases for AI are in hospitals. Image recognition, predictive analytics, and workflow automation can help reduce bottlenecks and balance demand across networks.
Dr. Gireesh Kumar, Knight Frank associate partner for healthcare advisory
“The strongest use cases for AI are in hospitals,” Kumar said. “Image recognition, predictive analytics, and workflow automation can help reduce bottlenecks and balance demand across networks.”
Both experts agree predictive AI offers the clearest near-term value. By analyzing patient data, it can identify high-risk individuals and enable early intervention.
Globally, organizations adopting predictive tools report up to a 25 percent reduction in operating costs and a 15 to 20 percent decrease in readmissions.
In the US, some networks have cut readmissions by 14.3 percent after deploying AI-driven outpatient management. For Saudi Arabia, where diabetes and cardiovascular conditions dominate, the gains could be transformative.
Still, Khan stressed nuance: “If you are going to risk-stratify a population, that is not a task for generative AI, but for predictive and prescriptive AI. Success equals empathy plus evidence plus workflow fit.”
Telemedicine is another growth engine. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Kingdom’s SEHA Virtual Hospital emerged as a flagship. Today it is the world’s largest virtual hospital, linking more than 150 facilities and serving over 480,000 patients a year.
On the private side, the Saudi Arabia-built Labayh mental health app has reached more than 2 million users with over 70 million minutes of counselling delivered, making it one of the region’s prominent digital health platforms according to Knight Frank’s report.
Kumar said digital access points ease pressure on hospitals and extend services into underserved regions. Khan added a caveat: “The human interaction is critical. AI should support that, not replace it.”
Vision 2030 is accelerating the shift from fee-for-service to value-based care. That transition, Khan argues, requires deep private-sector involvement — from funding to management.
Kumar frames public-private partnerships as the catalyst for AI adoption.
“The public sector brings infrastructure and regulation, the private sector brings agility and global expertise. Together, they can fast-track AI solutions across diagnostics, telemedicine and workforce training.”
Gartner research titled “AI in Value-Based Care” published in June this year, reinforces this point, calling AI the critical enabling technology for advanced value-based care.
The global market for value-based healthcare is projected to soar from $12.2 billion in 2023 to $43.4 billion by 2031, with AI driving much of that growth.
Kumar points to lessons abroad: Singapore’s academic pathways that integrate AI with clinical training, China’s use of AI in chest X-rays, and the UK’s adoption of AI dermatology tools.
The Kingdom, meanwhile, is already testing bold ideas such as the world’s first AI-powered doctor clinic in Al-Ahsa, where a digital doctor named Dr. Hua collects symptoms, analyses data, and proposes treatments under physician oversight.
For Khan, this pioneering spirit is the opportunity. “No country has deployed AI at large scale in healthcare yet. Saudi Arabia has the human and financial capital to lead on the global stage.”
Regarding risks, Kumar notes that the Saudi Data and AI Authority established a framework in 2024 to safeguard patient privacy and ethics.
Khan insists adoption must be co-designed with clinicians and patients, starting with narrow, high-value use cases. “AI should enhance, not overwhelm, the human experience,” he said.
Gartner warns that AI models must be continuously monitored for bias and aligned with workflows to avoid clinician fatigue.
By 2030, Saudi Arabia’s healthcare system is projected to look very different.
AI will underpin a shift from reactive treatment to preventative care, empowering clinicians with predictive insights, automating routine tasks, and expanding access through digital platforms.
Yet for all the investment and innovation, the final measure will not be model accuracy but human lives improved, as Khan put it earlier.
