Saad Khalaf: I Would Like to See Arab Cities Make Faster Progress Toward Becoming Smart Cities
The Global Digital Forum brought together international experts and IT company representatives in Moscow to exchange experience and discuss new technologies.
At Gorky Park, participants are exploring the prospects for artificial intelligence, digital transformation, and international cooperation. Saad Khalaf, chief correspondent for Al Araby TV’s Moscow bureau, spoke to the IT Russia media platform about which Russian technologies could benefit Arab countries and how technology can help develop smart cities.
– I attended this forum last year, when it was held in Nizhny Novgorod. This year, I was impressed by the organization, the variety of sessions, and the relevance of the topics. Particular attention was given to artificial intelligence and its role in digital transformation.
I was interested to hear how Russia assesses the prospects for AI development and its application in the economy. It is important that the country is ready to share its developments with other nations, transfer technologies, and help experts learn to use them while taking each country’s specific circumstances into account.
I believe there is no need to fear artificial intelligence. It has already become part of our lives, and its importance will continue to grow. What matters is learning how to use it for the benefit of people. AI will not be able to replace humans in every field, but it can become a useful tool and improve quality of life.
At the same time, we need common rules governing the development and use of artificial intelligence. Establishing them will not be easy because of intense competition among countries and major companies. But we cannot postpone this issue, or regulating the field will become even more difficult in the future.
Another important topic is the development of the platform economy. Digital platforms are already being used in trade, transportation, and other sectors. Artificial intelligence is just one part of these changes, and countries still differ in their ability to apply it.
I learned a great deal at the forum about Russian technologies that could be useful to Arab countries. Moscow, in particular, impresses me. I would like to see major Arab cities make faster progress toward becoming smart cities, too. This experience could make people's lives easier, improve the efficiency of urban management, and make public processes more transparent.
