At a high-end investment gathering in Riyadh late-october‚ the focus stayed far from middle-eastern conflicts; instead presenting a tech-focused future vision. The conference hall buzzed with eye-catching displays of robot-populated cities while business-people discussed next-gen transport solutions
The Future Investment Initiative summit (which drew lots of global attention) showed off Saudi Arabias bold economic plans: flying-vehicles‚ cutting-edge AI systems and modern financial hubs were front-and-center. Western executives took turns sharing their views on breaking traditional limits - though some pointed out the kingdoms past tech-usage raised questions
The oil-rich nation wants to re-shape its money-making approach through the event - pushing hard to become a go-to spot for artificial intelligence development‚ banking operations and tourist activities. However this forward-looking message comes with a complex backdrop: the same tech advances being celebrated have been used for watching critics and controlling information flow in recent years