News
ConFex Saudi Arabia To Take Place On October 23rd & 24th
The expo showcases how digitalization and cutting-edge tech are shaping the construction and real estate industries in Saudi Arabia and beyond.
The Construction Technology ConFex KSA (CTF KSA) is a two-day immersive event exploring the technology revolutionizing Saudi Arabia’s Built Environment and Giga Project. Co-organized by the Saudi Contractors Authority (SCA), ConFex takes place at the Crowne Plaza, RDC Hotel in Riyadh on October 23rd and 24th.
Confex will showcase how digitalization and advanced tech are shaping construction and real estate in Saudi Arabia. Event organizers expect over 600 attendees, who will join 60 expert speakers and thought leaders in architecture, design, engineering, and construction, plus influential policymakers and investors.
Event themes include advanced technologies driving the built environment, Smart & Future Cities, Digital & Innovative Deliveries, Data Intelligence, and Sustainability. Speaking topics and workshops will cover a wide range of subjects, including:
- Virtual construction
- Decarbonization of the built environment
- The internet of things (IoT)
- Machine learning
- Predictive data analytics
- Digital twins
- Building information modeling (BIM)
- Building management system software
Confex is an important event for the construction and smart city technology sector. With the industry projected to research a value of nearly $15 billion by 2027, Saudi Arabia is rapidly becoming home to some of the world’s most advanced and futuristic building concepts.
Also Read: Bahrain Plans To Develop 300 Smart Factories By 2026
The Saudi Arabia Giga Project program — a cornerstone of the Vision 2030 program — is the world’s most extensive civil infrastructure initiative. Meanwhile, developments like NEOM, with its massive $500 billion budget, represent the largest construction projects globally. Furthermore, Red Sea tourism projects, valued at $8.5 billion, place a large emphasis on digital and smart delivery, while the $2.4 billion Roshn housing project aims to cut emissions by an estimated 18%.
To learn more about Saudi Arabia’s biggest Construction Technology Confex, head to the official website.
News
Nano Banana 2 Arrives In MENA For Google Gemini Users
Google brings its latest image model to Gemini and Search, adding 4K output and tighter text control for regional users.
Google has opened access to Nano Banana 2 across the Middle East and North Africa, pushing its newest image model into everyday tools rather than keeping it inside the exclusive (and expensive) Pro tier.
The rollout spans the Google Gemini desktop and mobile apps, and extends to Google Search through Lens and AI Mode. Developers can also test it in preview via AI Studio and the Gemini API.
Nano Banana 2 runs on Gemini Flash, Google’s fast inference layer. The focus is speed, but also control. Users can export visuals from 512px up to 4K, adjusting aspect ratios for everything from vertical social posts to widescreen displays.
The model maintains character likeness across up to five figures and preserves fidelity for as many as 14 objects within a single workflow. This enables visual continuity across scenes, iterations, or edits — supporting projects like short films, storyboards, and multi-scene narratives. Text rendering has also been improved, delivering legible typography in mockups and greeting cards, with built-in translation and localization directly within images.
Also Read: RØDE Adds Direct iPhone Pairing To Wireless GO And Pro Mics
Under the hood, the system taps Gemini’s broader knowledge base and pulls in real-time information and imagery from web search to render specific subjects more accurately. Lighting and fine detail have been upgraded, without slowing output.
By embedding the model inside Gemini and Search, Google is normalizing advanced image generation for a mass audience. In MENA, where startups and marketing teams are leaning heavily on AI to scale content across languages and borders, that shift lands at a practical moment.
The move also folds creative tooling deeper into search itself, so that image generation is no longer a separate workflow. It now sits right next to the query box.
