The numbers, rather than a press release, were the first indication that something was off. Earlier this year, cybersecurity analysts monitoring traffic into Saudi Arabia’s networks began to notice volumes that weren’t typical for a typical week. Suspicious payloads, login floods, and probing attempts all increased at a rate that suggested coordination rather than chance. When the dust settled, local researchers reported a roughly 25-fold increase in cyber-relevant activity directed towards the Kingdom. This type of curve is not accidental. Officials and security companies monitoring the wave claim that the Saudi National Cybersecurity Authority has been covertly developing an AI-assisted…
The fact that scientists can extract a hitherto unidentified animal from one of the least…
Spotlight
The King Abdulaziz International Conference Center in Riyadh doesn’t seem like the birthplace of international tech regulations. Footsteps are absorbed by the thick carpets. Besides the translation headsets are half-finished coffee cups. Attendees lean forward and pay close attention as presenters go over a topic that was previously thought to be solely Californian: the proper conduct of artificial intelligence. Silicon Valley is not the source of this conversation. In collaboration with the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority has started to develop an ethics charter that goes beyond governing AI in the…
After some time, you begin to recognize a certain type of building in DIFC. Glass-walled towers with the subtle signage of a law firm or hedge fund, but half of them now contain something more modern. Five years ago, there were no cryptocurrency exchanges, custodians, tokenization startups, or market makers. When you stroll through the financial district on a weekday afternoon, you can hear conversations about custody arrangements, licensing tiers, who recently received VARA approval, and who is still waiting. This group has been drawn to Dubai for some time. Why and whether it can continue to do so are…
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