What does success look like for the second global AI summit? As the great and good of the industry (and me) gathered last week at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology, a sprawling hilltop campus in eastern Seoul, that was the question I kept asking myself. If we're ranking the event by the quantity of announcements generated, then it's a roaring success. In less than 24 hours – starting with a virtual "leader's summit" at 8pm and ending with a joint press conference with the South Korean and British science and technology ministers – I counted no fewer than six agreements, pacts, pledges and statements, all demonstrating the success of the event in getting people around the table to hammer out a deal. The first 16 companies have signed up to voluntary artificial intelligence safety standards introduced at the Bletchley Park summit, Rishi Sunak has said on the eve of the follow-up event in Seoul.

In November, UK prime minister Rishi Sunak will host a summit to try to reach a global consensus on how to regulate artificial intelligence. While some people, such as tech entrepreneur Elon Musk, seem focused on the existential risk that AI might present, research indicates that some more prosaic and pressing aspects of regulating AI are being overlooked. Will global leaders be focusing on the right issues?

The second edition of the Global AI Summit kicked off Tuesday morning in the Saudi capital Riyadh, bringing together various stakeholders and academics to discuss the future of artificial intelligence and the Kingdom's contribution to this field. Over 200 speakers representing 90 countries have come together for the global summit that will run until September 15 at the King Abdul Aziz International Conference Center and under the patronage of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The Global AI Summit, organized by Saudi Data & AI Authority (SDAIA), will touch on topics such as the impact of AI on the public and private sectors, healthcare, environment, transportation, smart cities and culture among other matters. For all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app. SDAIA said on its website that "tech companies, startups, investors, and entrepreneurs [will] meet at the Global AI Summit to shape the future of AI." Speaking at the opening ceremony of the summit, Saudi Minister of Communications & Information Technology Abdullah Alswaha said that Saudi Arabia "has become the largest tech force of coders and data scientists," adding that there are currently more than 70,000 trainees in this field.

DUBAI: Climate change will have significant impacts on environmental, social, political, and economic systems around the world. Climate change mitigation, along with adaptation and resilience, is therefore crucial. Efforts to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 will be essential, as will efforts to prepare for the consequences of climate change and to minimize the resulting harm. Applying advanced analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) to climate challenges provides a vital way to make meaningful change at this critical moment. According to a new report from the AI for the Planet Alliance, produced in collaboration with Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and BCG GAMMA, 87% of public- and private-sector leaders who oversee climate and AI topics believe that AI is a valuable asset in the fight against climate change.

JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia will be a global artificial intelligence (AI) leader by 2030, a prominent Saudi expert has said. Dr. Abdullah bin Sharaf Al-Ghamdi, president of the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), made the comments during a media briefing on shaping new frontiers at the International Media Center in Riyadh ahead of the G20 Leaders' Summit. Last year, the authority developed the Estishraf Platform, an AI-based platform that utilizes data to create diversified insights and respond to the top priorities of decision-makers in Saudi Arabia. "Through this platform we were able to earn revenues amounting to SR43 billion ($11.5 billion), only in 2019," said Al-Ghamdi. "Undoubtedly, this is an excellent indicator for the great opportunities the national economy is waiting for after AI has become a knowledge-based economy."

Jean-Francois Gagne is the CEO of Elemental AI, a Montreal-based startup which develops artificial intelligence solutions for all kinds of businesses. Elemental operates in a tough market with serious competition from tech giants such as Amazon, Google, and Microsoft. Yet thanks to its innovative training technique, which harnesses simulated data, it has created a unique proposition that has attracted an impressive roster of blue chip customers. Here Jean-Francois calls for a re-think on the assumptions built into the economic equation of international trade as well explaining why he thinks people will collaborate with machines to create new value. Elemental is a partner of the Global AI Summit, an event which will be hosted by Tortoise on May 15th 2020, that will examine the future of the world and look in depth at the role technology, and AI in particular, will play in shaping it. Which underlying assumptions about globalisation are going to withstand the pandemic, if any?

So far, humans have accepted that artificial intelligence systems can perform many of the rote tasks that humans find tedious and time-consuming. However, the consensus is that AI can't produce art that's engaging and moving. Saudi Arabia aims to give AI a chance to "express" itself artistically at their AI Artathon. The event, which starts in January 2020, offers AI experts and artists the opportunity to produce works of art using AI techniques and methodologies. It's a precursor to the Global AI Summit, which is scheduled to take place in Riyadh on 30th-31st March 2020.

RIYADH: The Global Artificial Intelligence Summit 2020 will be held in Saudi Arabia, according to Saudi Press Agency (SPA). The summit -- held under the patronage of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman -- will take place in Riyadh on 30-31 March next year. The event is the leading international forum to advance AI understanding and knowledge sharing among global AI experts. The summit is part of Saudi Arabia's plan to become a leader in AI technology and drive discussions and partnerships between local and international stakeholders in the AI field. The event will be a focus for discussion on AI, its importance, applications and impact on societies, economies and politics.