Global Smart City Forum 2024 concluded; the two-day event centred on the problems facing smart cities' infrastructure

Saudi Arabia is set to establish additional smart industrial zones, according to information released on Tuesday at the end of the inaugural Global Smart City Forum 2024 in Riyadh. Several discussions at the two-day event centred on the problems facing smart cities' infrastructure and their future prospects. In order to ensure a sustainable future, the event emphasised how crucial it is to incorporate smart energy solutions. The event disclosed that the manufacturing and mining industries will present significant prospects for the smart industrial zones in the future.

The Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), in collaboration with the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing, hosted the event at Riyadh Arena, which was officially opened by Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing Majed Al-Hogail. Under the subject "A Better Life," a huge number of professionals in global cities, data, artificial intelligence, and digital solutions specialists, smart city engineers, investors, and economic policy makers from 40 nations attended the conference. 

Smart cities have been identified by Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Alkhorayef as one of the key drivers of sustainable industrial development, technological dissemination, and industrial growth.

The Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources, together with SDAIA, opened the Centre of Excellence for Artificial Intelligence in Industry and Mining at the summit. A agreement of cooperation in the areas of artificial intelligence and smart cities was signed during the forum by SDAIA and the Diriyah Company for Qualifying Human Resources. In order to offer training services for the newest technologies utilised in the field of application development and technical advances, the authority also signed a contract with the Saudi Telecom Company (STC).