Microsoft CEO says Saudi Arabia is using AI in unique ways to accelerate productivity
RIYADH: Microsoft chairman and CEO Satya Nadella believes Saudi companies’ efforts in artificial intelligence have improved productivity, spurred innovation and created new economic opportunities.
Speaking to Arab News on the sidelines of the “Microsoft AI, New Era” event in Riyadh, Nadella said Saudi customers are using AI to develop cutting-edge technologies for the world.
“I had the opportunity to meet customers such as ACWA Power, Saudi Airlines, and King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center. They are all leveraging technology in unique ways to accelerate productivity,” he said. told the news.
He further added, “This is a great time to bring world-class technology to Saudi Arabia so that Saudi Arabia can produce world-class technology for the world, especially as the age of AI has arrived.”
Nadella was in the city to meet with local business leaders, government officials and developers to convey the role of AI in creating new opportunities that can accelerate the Kingdom’s digital economy.
Nadella said AI could help Saudi small and medium-sized enterprises become more productive, large multinationals could become globally competitive and startups could become unicorns. .
“Our goal is to be able to really bring the use of cloud, data and AI to Saudi Arabia,” he said, so companies can create better technology for themselves and other markets. He added that it will be possible to develop it.
Nadella also highlighted some of the key innovations Saudi companies have pioneered using AI, including the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, one of the Middle East’s leading medical facilities.
“The hospital is trialling the AI clinical documentation capabilities of Nuance DAX. The speech-to-text solution is three times faster than typing, increasing clinician productivity and reducing documentation errors at King Faisal Hospital. , which helps us spend more time with patients,” said Nadella, speaking at a customer event.
Also speaking at the gathering, Abdullah Al Swaha, Minister of Communications and Information Technology, hailed the strategic partnership with Microsoft as a pillar of Saudi Arabia’s innovative future.
He highlighted the Saudi Basic Industries Corporation’s partnership with Microsoft as an example of how technology can support sustainability. Both companies recycle plastic found in the ocean and use it to make electronic devices.
Commenting on Microsoft’s efforts in developing digital skills in the Kingdom, Nadella said it is working on many transformation programs to empower women in the workplace.
“When it comes to women and their skills, I also had the opportunity to meet with women at Microsoft. I had the opportunity to see developers and professionals working in various organizations use our tools to advance their careers. There was,” Nadella told Arab News.
He was also excited about the developer community and encouraged them and upcoming startups to use modern tools like GitHub Copilot, which increases productivity by more than 50%.
“We all use Copilot, just like we use our PCs and mobile phones. Two to three years from now, people will be using Copilot to do their tasks, work, whatever it is, faster and more productively.” I think there will be people who will,” he said.
Nadella was also positive about Microsoft’s investment in the gaming industry, saying the company has a long history in the field and is expanding its horizons.
“Flight Simulator was developed before Microsoft Office. And there’s a long history here. And now, obviously with Activision Blizzard shutting down, we’re trying to be the best game publisher out there. It’s doubling,” he said.
He added that with Xbox as a platform, the company intends to roll out more than 13 big franchise games across all platforms.