News

HP Invests In Saudi Tech, AI, And Education To Boost Regional Growth

The tech giant is committed to expanding local manufacturing, AI R&D, and education initiatives, supporting the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 program.

Published

2 years ago

February 12, 2025

Nour Nasir

hp invests in saudi tech ai and education to boost regional growth

Global tech manufacturer HP is doubling down on its commitment to Saudi Arabia with a series of strategic initiatives known as “Made in Saudi”. The investments align with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 and focus on technology manufacturing, artificial intelligence, research & development, and education.

One of the company’s key moves is the establishment of a large manufacturing facility in Riyadh, aimed at strengthening Saudi Arabia’s tech industry. Additionally, HP is launching an AI and R&D Center of Excellence (CoE) in Dhahran, designed to give the Kingdom a competitive edge in the global tech market. The center will drive advancements in data analysis, robotic process automation, and smarter decision-making.

HP is also prioritizing education, rolling out multiple programs to help develop the skills of young Saudis. By 2027, the company aims to create thousands of new jobs, giving local talent a vital role in the country’s economic transformation away from the oil sector.

“At HP, we see tremendous potential in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and have made strategic AI investments to fuel further growth in the region,” said Enrique Lores, President and CEO of HP Inc. “Building on our trusted brand and the strength of our portfolio, we are committing to manufacturing, education, and research initiatives that drive innovation and help expand HP’s global reach, bringing even greater opportunity to the MEA region”.

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A strong network of government partnerships has also helped HP roll out several global education initiatives, such as the HP Cambridge EdTech Fellowship and HP IDEA. So far, the programs have benefited over 600,000 people, and by 2027, they are expected to reach more than 6 million students and teachers in Saudi Arabia.

HP also continues to back the Kingdom’s National Gaming and Esports Strategy (NGES). In June 2024, the company opened the HP Gaming Garage Lab at the Saudi Electronic University, shortly after, HP’s online courses earned micro-degree status from the National eLearning Centre (NeLC) and the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT).

HP’s significant investments in Saudi Arabia show a considerable commitment to the Kingdom’s digital transformation, and will surely help to boost the company’s presence across the wider Middle East.

News

Spotify Will Now Tell You If Your Favorite Artist Isn’t Real

The streaming platform is introducing an “AI Personas” label and cutting AI-generated artist profiles from its recommendations.

Published

4 days ago

August 12, 2026

Nour Nasir

Spotify

These days, the question of whether the artist you’re streaming actually exists is no longer hypothetical. Spotify intends to combat this issue by introducing a label called “AI Personas” for artist profiles that present an AI-generated, human-like identity rather than a real person. More consequentially, it will also keep those profiles out of its editorial and algorithmic recommendations by default.

From mid-September, listeners will start seeing an AI Persona badge on artist profiles, appearing in the banner and About section, in Search, and on track rows across playlists. Tapping the badge reveals whether the artist disclosed the AI identity themselves, or whether Spotify’s review team made the determination after examining the profile.

That distinction matters, because Spotify is not relying on self-disclosure alone. Artists can flag their own profiles as AI Personas through Spotify for Artists as of today, but the platform will also review profiles whose public identity – including name and imagery – appears to represent photorealistic AI-generated identities. The rollout begins with artists who have met defined audience thresholds, so the labels cover the vast majority of profiles listeners actually visit. Artists badged by Spotify’s reviewers will be notified and can self-disclose or appeal, and in the coming months listeners will be able to report suspected AI Personas themselves.

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The company’s recommendations policy is also being tweaked. Music from AI Personas will not surface in a listener’s personalized recommendations unless, for example, they follow the artist. Spotify says all artists have a creative choice in how they present themselves, but its programming is focused on elevating music from authentic artists building careers in music.

The badge concerns identity, not production of the music itself. An artist who uses AI tools to make music is a separate question, one Spotify addresses through AI Credits and SongDNA. The AI Persona label sits alongside those features, plus Verified by Spotify and Artist Profile Protection, in what the company has made one of its top priorities this year: letting listeners trust that the artist behind the music is who they claim to be.