Global Smart City Forum to Provide Solutions to Smart Cities Problems

The Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) is organizing the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's first Global Smart City Forum in Riyadh on February 12-13. The forum will take place at the Arena Riyadh Venue for Exhibitions, featuring 80 speakers from more than 40 countries, who will engage in enriching discussions.

The Global Smart City Forum, to be held by the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) on February 12 and 13 under the theme "A Better Life" at the Riyadh Arena, will provide innovative digital solutions to address the manifestation of visual distortions, road congestions, and effective urban planning, to achieve the highest level of development in cities.

The forum, which gathers 80 global and local data-expert speakers, AI, digital solutions and smart city engineers, and economic policymakers from 40 countries, seeks to contribute to enriching all aspects of life in smart cities, and create an environment that encourages investment and tourism.

It is the first Global Smart City Forum to be organized in the Kingdom. It aims to shape an ambitious vision for the future of cities with the use of smart solutions and draw up bases that support development plans that achieve sustainable urban development, said SDAIA in a press release.

It also aims encouraging governments around the world to adopt smart solutions that contribute to increasing efficiency, environment sustainability and quality of life for the residents of these cities.

The forum aspires to build a global smart city platform in Riyadh, where the world's best smart city building and artificial intelligence experts meet for discussions on topics related to the future of global cities and of urban mobility, to smart public services, to planning for the construction of environmentally friendly cities in the next century, to data-driven smart cities, and innovation.

SDAIA President Dr. Abdullah bin Sharaf Al-Ghamdi stated that this global forum will shed light on the concept and significance of smart cities, as well as how artificial-intelligence (AI) technologies can be harnessed to build these cities. He noted that many countries worldwide have been leveraging AI to enhance the lives of their citizens, recognizing the rapidly evolving nature of advanced technologies.

He said that the Kingdom has taken an interest in organizing this forum in light of the support and directives of His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, Crown Prince, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and Chairman of SDAIA's Board of Directors.

He also highlighted the pivotal role of SDAIA as the national reference for data and AI organization, development, and operations in the Kingdom.

The forum will include dialogue sessions dedicated to discussing the future of smart cities, addressing challenges associated with their infrastructure, and exploring innovative solutions to meet the needs of growing populations in cities worldwide.

Moreover, the forum will showcase the progress achieved by the Kingdom and other countries in establishing smart cities, in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for 2030. The Kingdom's efforts in this regard also align with the Saudi Vision 2030.

The forum aims to host more than 18,000 visitors both in-person and virtually, establishing a global platform for smart cities that brings together experts from around the world who specialize in the construction of smart cities and AI technologies.

The forum will cover various topics, including global cities, the future of urban mobility, smart public services, planning for the construction of environmentally friendly cities in the next century, data-driven smart cities, and enhanced innovation.