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New Era For Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 As AI And Immersive Tech Pave The Way For Tourism Expansion

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August 17, 2025

Saudi Arabia is strategically integrating AI and immersive technologies like augmented and virtual reality into its tourism sector to enhance the visitor experience and support its Vision 2030 goals. This shift aims to position the Kingdom as a global tourism hub by offering innovative, personalized, and sustainable experiences. The adoption of these technologies is expected to attract more international visitors, drive economic growth, and reduce the sector’s reliance on oil, making tourism a key non-oil revenue generator.

Saudi Arabia is ramping up the use of advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), augmented reality (AR), and virtual reality (VR) to transform its tourism industry. This push aims to enhance the visitor experience while aligning with the nation’s broader economic diversification goals.

Experts suggest that the incorporation of these technologies, particularly in major projects like Neom and the Red Sea Project, is positioning the Kingdom as a prominent player on the global tourism stage. This shift comes at a time when the industry is rebounding from the effects of the pandemic, with forecasts indicating that tourism could contribute $11.7 trillion to the global economy by 2025.

As a key component of Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia is prioritizing tourism as a major engine of economic growth, reducing its reliance on oil and diversifying its revenue streams. The National Tourism Strategy aims to attract 150 million visitors annually by 2030 and increase the sector’s GDP contribution from 3% to 10%.

Experts note that Saudi Arabia is strategically leveraging smart technologies to manage growth, elevate quality, and offer unique experiences that distinguish it from other global tourism destinations. Smart tourism, which uses digital technologies to optimize operations and enrich visitor experiences, is becoming integral to this vision. The concept extends to Smart Destinations, where technology and innovation combine to provide immersive, sustainable experiences for tourists.

Massive investments in smart infrastructure, including AI-driven airports and digital visa platforms, are key enablers for this transformation. Saudi Arabia’s young, tech-savvy population, combined with a strong focus on environmental sustainability and cultural preservation, further supports the push for smart tourism.

The global tourism sector, recovering from the pandemic, is expected to accelerate its growth in the coming years, with AI-enhanced services expected to play a central role in this evolution. According to a recent report, Saudi travelers are increasingly adopting AI tools, with 87% using generative AI for vacation planning. Many rely on AI to find activities (46%) or optimize their itineraries (31%).

Tourism destinations in Saudi Arabia are already integrating smart technologies to provide more personalized and seamless experiences. AI is being used to enhance customer service, offering tools like chatbots for real-time support and AI-powered systems to customize itineraries. These technologies also support sustainability initiatives, from energy use in hotels to waste management in major tourism hubs.

Key projects such as Neom and the Red Sea Project are at the forefront of this transformation, utilizing smart infrastructure and IoT sensors to monitor environmental factors and optimize resort operations. In Diriyah, technology is enhancing cultural tourism through digital heritage documentation and interactive storytelling, offering visitors immersive educational experiences.

Data and AI are expected to be fundamental in shaping the future of tourism in Saudi Arabia, enabling highly personalized, responsive experiences that adapt to real-time data. AI is also expected to play a significant role in routine hotel operations, such as cleaning and food delivery, using service robots to improve efficiency and consistency.

However, experts highlight several challenges that Saudi Arabia will need to address to fully implement these technologies. These include overcoming gaps in local expertise, developing appropriate regulations, and ensuring data governance and cybersecurity standards are met. Additionally, talent development will be crucial, requiring upskilling programs and international collaboration to close the skill gaps in the growing smart tourism ecosystem.

Despite these challenges, experts are optimistic that smart tourism will play a key role in Saudi Arabia’s tourism strategy, provided the right policy frameworks and coordination are in place to support long-term success.



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China’s top social media platforms take steps to comply with new AI content labeling rules

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China’s top social media platforms, including ByteDance Ltd.’s TikTok clone Douying and Tencent Holdings’ WeChat, rolled out new features today to try to comply with a new law that mandates all artificial intelligence content is clearly labeled as such.

The new content labeling rules mandate that all AI-generated content posted on social media is tagged with explicit markings visible to users. It applies to AI-generated text, images, videos and audio, and also requires that implicit identifiers, such as digital watermarks, are embedded in the content’s metadata.

The law, which was first announced in March by the Cyberspace Administration of China, reflects Beijing’s increased scrutiny of AI at a time when concerns are rising about misinformation, online fraud and copyright infringement.

According to a report in the South China Morning Post, the law comes amid a broader push by Chinese authorities to increase oversight of AI, as illustrated by the CAC’s 2025 Qinglang campaign, which aims to clean up the Chinese language internet.

WeChat, one of the most popular messaging platforms in China, which boasts more than 1.4 billion monthly active users globally, has said that all creators using its platform must voluntarily declare any AI-generated content they publish. It’s also reminding users to “exercise their own judgement” for any content that has not been flagged as AI generated.

In a post today, WeChat said it “strictly prohibits” any attempts to delete, tamper with, forge or conceal AI labels added by its own automated tools, which are designed to pick up any AI-generated content that’s not flagged by users who upload it. It also reminded users against using AI to spread false information or for any other “illegal activities.”

Meanwhile Douyin, which has around 766 million monthly active users, said in a post today that it’s encouraging users to add clear labels to every AI-generated video they upload to its platform. It will also attempt to flag AI-generated content that isn’t flagged by users by checking its source via its metadata.

Several other popular social media platforms made similar announcements. For instance, the microblogging site Weibo, often known as China’s Twitter, said on Friday it’s adding tools for users to tag their own content, as well as a button for users to report “unlabeled AI content” posted by others.

RedNote, the e-commerce-based social media platform, issued its own statement on Friday, saying that it reserves the right to add explicit and implicit identifiers to any unidentified AI-generated content it detects on its platform.

Many of China’s best known AI tools are also moving to comply with the new law. For instance, Tencent’s AI chatbot Yuanbao said on Sunday it has created a new labeling system for any content it generates on behalf of users, adding explicit and implicit tags to text, videos and images. In its statement, it also advised users that they should not attempt to remove the labels it automatically adds to the content it creates.

When the CAC announced the law earlier this year, it said its main objectives were to implement robust AI content monitoring, enforce mandatory labeling and apply penalties to anyone who disseminates misinformation through AI or uses the technology to manipulate public opinion. It also pledged to crack down on deceptive marketing that uses AI, and strengthen online protections for underage users.

The European Union is set to implement its own AI content labeling requirements in August 2026, as part of the EU AI Act, which mandates that any content “significantly generated” by AI must be labeled to ensure transparency. The U.S. has not yet mandated AI content labels, but a number of social media platforms, such as Meta Platforms Inc., are implementing their own policies regarding the tagging of AI-generated media.

Photo: WeChat

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Surge in Alibabas Volume Amid Tech Shifts and AI Investments

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1. Nvidia (Nasdaq: NVDA)
Nvidia dropped solidly by -3.32%, with the trading volume of 42.33B. UAE AI company G42 is seeking to diversify its chip supply beyond Nvidia, including negotiations with tech giants like Amazon AWS, Google, Meta, Microsoft, and xAI for its planned AI park. Google is reportedly leading in these discussions.

2. Tesla (Nasdaq: TSLA)
Tesla dropped solidly by -3.50%, with the trading volume of 27.32B. Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk states that 80% of Tesla’s value will depend on the Optimus robot. Despite challenges in Europe, including executive resistance and competition, Tesla lowered Model 3 prices in China, marking its long-range version’s debut with a price cut.

3. Alibaba Group Holding Limited (NYSE: BABA)
Alibaba Group Holding Limited surged by 12.90%, with the trading volume of 10.94B. Alibaba plans to invest over 380 billion yuan in the next three years to boost its computing power industry, impacting domestic AI infrastructure. Its Q1 FY 2026 financial report showed a 10% revenue growth and a 76% net profit increase, exceeding expectations.

4. Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT)
Microsoft dipped mildly by -0.58%, with the trading volume of 10.63B. UAE AI company G42 is diversifying chip supplies to reduce dependency on Nvidia, engaging with tech giants like Amazon AWS, Google, Meta, Microsoft, and Elon Musk’s xAI for a planned AI park, with Google’s negotiations being the most advanced.

5. Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL)
Apple dipped mildly by -0.18%, with the trading volume of 9.16B. Apple is expanding its retail footprint in India with a new store, Apple Hebbal, set to open in Bangalore on September 2. This follows the openings of Apple BKC in Mumbai and Apple Saket in Delhi. Apple also plans to remove physical SIM card slots in more countries for the iPhone 17 series.

6. Alphabet (Nasdaq: GOOGL)
Alphabet gained mildly by 0.60%, with the trading volume of 8.44B. UAE’s AI company G42 is seeking to diversify its chip suppliers to reduce reliance on Nvidia. They are negotiating with major tech companies including Amazon AWS, Google, Meta, Microsoft, and Elon Musk’s xAI, with Google likely to sign a computing power procurement deal soon.

7. Palantir Technologies (NYSE: PLTR)
Palantir Technologies dipped mildly by -0.89%, with the trading volume of 7.27B. South Korean retail investors showed significant interest in Palantir Technologies, with substantial net purchases over the past week.

8. Meta Platforms (Nasdaq: META)
Meta Platforms dipped mildly by -1.65%, with the trading volume of 6.70B. Meta and Scale AI’s partnership faced challenges as major investment leads to strained relations and data quality concerns. Additionally, Meta plans to release a smart glasses SDK, diverging from trends by opting for LCoS over Micro LED technology.

9. Broadcom (Nasdaq: AVGO)
Broadcom dropped solidly by -3.65%, with the trading volume of 6.42B. Broadcom (AVGO.US) is expected to report a 21% revenue increase to $15.82 billion for Q3, with EPS projected at $1.66. Oppenheimer reaffirmed its “outperform” rating, raising the target price to $325. The AI business could exceed $5 billion in revenue.

10. Marvell Technology (Nasdaq: MRVL)
Marvell Technology plunged by -18.60%, with the trading volume of 6.19B. Company XYZ announced plans for global expansion, focusing on emerging markets and sustainable initiatives. New partnerships aim to enhance technological capabilities, while leadership emphasizes innovation and growth potential.



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Americans Embrace AI Tech In Their Cars But Some Features Drive Them Crazy

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A new JD Pwoer study reveals which AI features drivers actually love and which ones are still frustratingly confusing

                                        https://www.carscoops.com/author/bradcarscoops-com/                                    

by Brad Anderson

31 minutes ago

 Americans Embrace AI Tech In Their Cars But Some Features Drive Them Crazy

  • Owners are proving particularly receptive to smart climate control systems.
  • Genesis took out top honors for innovation for the fifth consecutive year.
  • There is also growing demand from buyers for in-car payment systems.

Artificial intelligence has been steadily weaving its way into everyday life, from the phones in our pockets to the services we rely on daily. The auto industry has been no exception, and AI-driven features are now shaping how people interact with their cars.

Α new study from J.D. Power has found that while some of these features are being well-received by consumers, there are many others that need work before they actually start adding to the ownership experience.

Read: JLR Is Now Using The AI Damage Scanners That Hertz Customers Hate

As part of an expansion of its annual U.S. Tech Experience Index (TXI) Study, J.D. Power looked at seven AI-based technologies that should, in theory, enhance the driving experience. Among them, one of the clear successes is smart climate control, which automatically manages heating, ventilation, and air conditioning to balance comfort and efficiency.

Smarter Comfort in Action

The study found that owners using these systems are now reporting 6.3 fewer problems per 100 vehicles (PP100) than before, a meaningful improvement. These systems also provide a much-needed workaround for the growing number of cars that have moved climate settings into touchscreen menus instead of physical buttons. J.D. Power’s broader studies back this up, noting that smart climate controls are now boosting both vehicle quality scores and customer satisfaction overall.

Other AI-based systems are also showing promise, such as smart ignition and driver preference modes. In-vehicle shopping and payment systems also drew attention, with 62 percent of owners expressing interest. So far, the most common uses are paying for fuel, tolls, parking, or EV charging, but past designs have struggled with clunky menus and limited apps.

According to the study, the next generation could succeed if automakers focus on simple, quick purchases tied directly to the driving experience.

 Americans Embrace AI Tech In Their Cars But Some Features Drive Them Crazy


Blind spot cameras stand out as one of the most appreciated technologies, with 93 percent of drivers saying they use them regularly and 74 percent wanting the feature in their next vehicle. Models equipped with blind spot cameras also tend to sell faster than those without, underlining just how valuable the technology has become.

Features That Miss the Mark

By comparison, several other AI features could be improved. For example, J.D. Power concluded that car wash modes becoming increasingly prevalent across the market have lots of room for improvement. These models automatically prepare a vehicle to go through a car wash, but it was found that this mode is often buried within the infotainment system, and 38 percent of owners say they need better instructions on how to use it.

Similar, recognition technologies remain a sticking point, posting the highest problem rates in the study. Biometric authentication alone averaged more than 29 issues per 100 vehicles, while touchless or hidden controls and direct driver monitoring each saw more than 19.

Which Brands Are The Best For Tech?

The study also compared automakers on their overall use of technology. Genesis once again led the pack, taking the top spot for the fifth year in a row, with Cadillac and Lincoln following behind.

The premium segment’s average score was lifted to 671 with Tesla and Rivian included, but both were excluded from the rankings since they did not meet the study’s award criteria. Even so, Tesla posted a standout score of 873 and Rivian followed with 730, according to J.D. Power.

 Americans Embrace AI Tech In Their Cars But Some Features Drive Them Crazy


In the mass-market category, Hyundai claimed the highest score for innovation, followed by Kia and, perhaps more surprisingly, Mitsubishi, which ranked ahead of GMC, MINI, and Toyota.

At the other end of the spectrum, Stellantis brands such as Jeep, Ram, and Chrysler landed at the bottom, while Jaguar held the lowest position among premium marques. And if you’re wondering about Tesla, while giving it a huge score at 873, JD Power said it

 Americans Embrace AI Tech In Their Cars But Some Features Drive Them Crazy


 Americans Embrace AI Tech In Their Cars But Some Features Drive Them Crazy


JD Power



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