BEASTLY TECHNOLOGY OF THE COMING WORLD’S BEAST SYSTEM. The Fourth (4th) Kingdom Shall Be Different From All The Other Previous Kingdoms.

Microsoft CEO says Saudi Arabia using AI in unique ways to accelerate productivity 

Updated 02 November 2023 MOHAMMED AL-KINANI November 01, 202317:47

RIYADH: Saudi companies’ push toward artificial intelligence has increased their productivity, driven innovation and created new economic opportunities, believes Microsoft Chairman and CEO Satya Nadella.  Speaking to Arab News on the sidelines of the “Microsoft AI, a New Era” event in Riyadh, Nadella said his customers in the Kingdom were using AI to create cutting-edge technology for the world. 

“I had a chance to meet customers like ACWA Power, Saudi Airlines, the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center. They’re all using technology in unique ways to accelerate productivity,” he told Arab News.   He added: “Especially with the age of AI coming, this is a fantastic time for us to bring world-class technology to Saudi Arabia so that it can create world-class technology for the world.”  Nadella was in the city to meet local business leaders, government officials and developers and convey the role of AI in unlocking new opportunities that can accelerate the Kingdom’s digital economy. 

Using AI, Nadella said small businesses in the Kingdom could become more productive, large multinationals could become globally competitive, and startups could become unicorns.  “Our goal is to be able to really bring the usage of cloud, data, and AI … to Saudi,” he said, adding that this would enable companies to create better technology for themselves and other markets.  Nadella also highlighted some of the critical innovations Saudi companies have spearheaded using AI, including King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, one of the top medical facilities in the Middle East. 

“The hospital is trialing AI clinical documentation features in Nuance DAX. The speech-to-text solution is three times faster than typing and is helping clinicians at King Faisal Hospital to increase their productivity, reduce documentation errors, and spend more time with patients,” said Nadella while speaking at the customer event.  Also at the gathering, Communications and Information Technology Minister Abdullah Al-Swaha lauded the strategic partnership with Microsoft as a pillar of the Kingdom’s innovative future. 

He highlighted the partnership between the Saudi Basic Industry Corp. and Microsoft as an example of how technology can support sustainability. The two companies are recycling plastic found in the ocean and then using it to produce electronic devices.  Commenting on Microsoft’s initiatives in fostering digital skills in the Kingdom, Nadella said they are doing a lot in the transformational program to empower women in the workplace.  “When it comes to women and their skills, I had a chance to meet even with women at Microsoft. I had a chance to see some developers and professionals working in various organizations using our tools to advance their careers,” Nadella told Arab News. 

He was also excited about the developer community and encouraged them and upcoming startup companies to use the latest tools, such as GitHub Copilot, which drives more than 50 percent productivity.   “Everybody uses Copilot, just like the PC or the mobile phone. I think two or three years from now, we will be seeing people using Copilot to get whatever it is, their task or job, done faster and more productively,” he said.  

Nadella was also upbeat about Microsoft’s investments in the gaming industry and said the company has a long history in this domain and expanding its horizons.  “Flight Simulator was built even before Microsoft Office. And we have a long history here. And now, with obviously Activision Blizzard closing, we are doubling down on being the best game publisher there,” he said.   He added that with Xbox as its platform, the company intends to have over 13 big franchise games on all platforms.

Black Hat MEA 2023: Riyadh gears up for global cybersecurity convergence

Updated 13 November 2023 NOUR EL-SHAERI November 13, 202317:44

RIYADH: Cybersecurity leaders from around the globe are set to converge in Riyadh for the second edition of Black Hat Middle East and Africa, a rapidly expanding conference in the online industry.  The event, scheduled for Nov. 14 to 16 at the Riyadh Exhibition and Convention Centre, is poised to be a cornerstone for industry growth, themed under “Infosec on the Edge.”   Organized by Tahaluf in collaboration with the Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming, and Drones, Black Hat MEA is expected to surpass its inaugural size by a 41 percent, as indicated by a 119 percent increase in early visitor registrations. 

Featuring over 350 exhibitors from 120 countries, the event will showcase interactive workshops, training programs, and a high-level executive summit. More than 50 startups are set to participate, with over 150 briefing sessions, 40 arsenal sessions, and 40 executive summit sessions on the agenda.  Anticipating over 40,000 attendees, Black Hat MEA aims to position itself as the largest cybersecurity event in the region and a global leader in terms of attendance.   The agenda covers crucial areas of the cybersecurity sector, including artificial intelligence, compliance, risk management, and the evolving role of women in cybersecurity. 

Speakers from global tech giants like Huawei, Netflix, and Uber will share insights critical to safeguarding digital infrastructure.   The conference kicks off with opening remarks by Faisal Al-Khamisi, chairman of the SAFCSP, and Annabelle Mander, senior vice president of Tahaluf, outlining the strategic direction for the infosec community.  “The number of international vendors has more than doubled, with over 60 percent of exhibitors being global businesses, mainly from the US and Europe, keen on tapping into Saudi Arabia’s huge potential,” Mander said in a press note.  

She added: “As Saudi Arabia forges ahead with its ambitious developmental agenda, Black Hat MEA is becoming a crucial platform for integrating the local and international cyber sectors.”   Highlight panels include “Attribution, Partnerships, and Incident Response” featuring Cynthia Kaiser from the FBI and “Privacy in the Age of AI: Navigating Data Challenges & Safeguarding Personal Information” with industry leaders addressing data privacy complexities amid AI advancements. 

In this panel, Latha Maripuri, chief information security officer at Uber, Jim Higgins, CISO of Snap, and David Cross, CISO of Oracle SaaS Cloud, will tackle the complexities of data privacy amid AI advancements.  Vitaly Gudanets, CISO of Netflix, will also be part of the discussion, and they are set to share insights on pioneering solutions, practical applications, and the trajectory of privacy conservation amidst evolving AI technologies.   On Nov. 15, the “Security Continuum” panel, led by Pascal Andrei, chief security officer at Airbus, will bridge the gap between physical and digital security realms. The final day will feature the influential panel “Driving Diversity: Women’s Impact on the Future of Technology.”  Betania Allo, cybersecurity innovation and partnerships manager at NEOM, will spotlight the transformative roles women hold in the tech sector and the significance of diversity in fostering breakthroughs and advancements.  

The event boasts a lineup of over 300 speakers offering invaluable insights for crafting robust cybersecurity strategies.   It will host a trade show that serves as a pivotal platform for industry specialists from global brands to network, forge partnerships, and uncover new opportunities.   Companies like Snap, with its expansive user base and commitment to privacy, and Airbus, a leader in aviation security, will showcase their strategies for safeguarding their operations against cyber threats.  With the attending investors and startups representing $8 billion in assets under management, the event will also host CyberSeed, Black Hat MEA’s landmark startup pitch competition.   

This expansion will offer more awards and recognition for cybersecurity innovation, with startups competing in front of an esteemed panel of judges and investors for a share of a $40,000 prize fund.  New to this year’s event is the Black Hat Campus, a unique area designed for investor-startup matchmaking and cybersecurity investment discussions.    The campus will also bring together vendors, universities, recruiters, and consultancies for first-hand demos, developer-led showcases of the latest open-source tools and products, and engaging cybersecurity activities.  

“At Tahaluf, we are committed to equipping the next generation with advanced skills. We’ve launched the Black Hat campus, a student-focused zone for nurturing local talent. This initiative offers unique learning opportunities under expert cyber professionals,” added Mander.  Furthermore, the event will host a “Capture The Flag” tournament, designed in the style of a jeopardy challenge.    This ethical hacking contest stands as the largest in the region, drawing over a thousand entrants who will engage in tasks spanning forensics, reverse engineering, and cryptography.   Competitors, ranging from novices to seasoned experts, will contend for a portion of the substantial $187,000 prize pool.  

In addition, the inaugural CISO Chapter will invite members to participate in lounges, boardrooms, and workshops to address industry hurdles collaboratively.  The event will also host the Black Hat MEA Arsenal in collaboration with ToolsWatch, where developers present the latest in open-source tools and products.  This interactive forum will allow for direct engagement between presenters and attendees, offering hands-on learning experiences.   Information security experts will be on hand to disclose the newest industry methods and insights, while skilled hackers will reveal contemporary breaching strategies.  

Saudi Arabia set to be biggest gainer from artificial intelligence in Middle East by 2030: PwC 

Updated 24 July 2023 ARAB NEWS July 24, 202313:56

RIYADH: Artificial intelligence is set to contribute $135 billion to the Saudi economy in 2030, making the Kingdom the biggest beneficiary of the technology in the Middle East, according to global consultancy firm PwC.   A report from the company noted that AI could add $320 billion to the region’s economy, equivalent to 11 percent of gross domestic product.Amid the government’s massive push for digitization and future technology, Saudi Arabia will see AI’s contribution to GDP rise to 12.4 percent in 2030. 

In terms of average annual growth in the contribution of AI by region, Saudi Arabia is expected to slice off a 31.3 percent share in the technology’s expansion between 2018 to 2030, the PwC report noted.   “Saudi’s Vision 2030 and National Transformation Program 2020 identify digital transformation as a key goal to activate economic sectors, to support industries and private sector entities, to advocate for the development of public-private business models and to ultimately reduce the country’s dependence on oil revenues through a diversification of the economy,” the report noted.  

Investment in AI in Saudi Arabia is supported by the government and is currently largely driven through domestic sources, in particular the Kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund.   “In order to maintain momentum in the pace of technological advancement in the country, there is a need for it to attract more foreign investment which is currently constrained by the challenges in the business environment,” it said.  

PwC pointed out that Saudi Arabia ranked 92 out of 190 countries in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business index in 2017. “Addressing concerns raised by the business community will allow it to attract external investment which will bring with it skills and expertise to upskill the local population,” the report said.   PwC, meanwhile, estimated that AI could contribute up to $15.7 trillion to the global economy in 2030, surpassing the current output of both China and India.  It added that $6.6 trillion of this figure is likely to come from increased productivity while $9.1 trillion is set to come from benefits to consumers.  

Bible Prophecy Update, New A.I. Old Lie. Pastor J.D. Farag.

Saudi Arabia making ‘leaps’ to become leader in cybersecurity: Cisco Official. The program will allow for the verification of identity before the individual is able to access any information.

Updated 14 November 2023 MANAL AL-BARAKATI November 14, 202318:19

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia is making “leaps” across several global indices to position itself as a frontrunner in technology and cybersecurity on the global and regional level, a top Cisco official said.

Speaking to Arab News in an interview on the sidelines of the Black Hat MEA 2023, Salman Faqeeh, the managing director of Cisco Saudi Arabia, highlighted that the Kingdom is rapidly progressing, particularly in the telecommunication technology, information security, and cybersecurity sectors.

“We’ve all witnessed and seen several global indices highlighting how Saudi Arabia is making leaps when it comes to advancements and its position at a global and at a regional level,” Faqeeh said. “We operate in a very dynamic market. We operate in a market that is leading the region in different aspects. Particularly, when it comes to telecommunications technology as well as information security and cybersecurity. It’s the biggest market and it’s the fastest to move in the right direction,” he added.

In line with regional advancements, the manager noted that Cisco recognizes this as an opportunity and is “very keen” to be relevant to the digital transformation agenda and the unfolding trends in the Saudi market. The company has annually invested over $28 billion in research and development to keep up with the perpetual pace of growth and ensure its quality, according to Faqeeh. The firm has positioned itself as a leader in honing the skills of young Saudis as it considers investing in human capital essential to its growth.

Through its networking academy, a global program that has existed for over 25 years and in Saudi Arabia for over 20 years, Cisco has been keen to highlight the learning and development journey of hundreds of thousands of Saudis throughout the program’s history, according to Faqeeh. He further outlined that the company has contributed to the learning and development journey of more than 336,000 Saudis, of which about 38 percent are females. The top executive noted that this achievement is above the global average of the female workforce.

“The opportunity size is something that deserves the right attention, but at the same time, it’s a market, as I’ve mentioned earlier, that continues to grow. With the complexity that we’re seeing in the cybersecurity world with the introduction of the cloud, cybersecurity concerns, we always need to focus on the learning and development of the specialists,” Faqeeh said. The firm recently unveiled its plans for creating a first-of-its-kind data center in the Kingdom, an announcement that the director noted is “planned to be up and running throughout or before the end of the calendar year of 2024. And we’re definitely keen to expedite.” In recent months, the company has continued to take charge of the digital transformation agenda by outlining various new initiatives in the cyber sector.

Among them is the Secure Service Edge, a project the CEO said would help the company provide all the required security cloud services in the Kingdom locally. These include the net-zero trust offering, cloud firewalls, and solutions available on the cloud. Net-zero trust is a system based on a preventative agenda that aims to ensure security in the cloud without interfering with the user’s experiences. The program will allow for the verification of identity before the individual is able to access any information.

Faqeeh further shed light on Cisco’s most recent acquisition of “Splunk,” a company that he deems “a very well respected security market leader,” noting that the group’s innovative edge will aid in enriching the Kingdom’s cybersecurity efforts. “That is another confirmation of Cisco’s commitment to enriching its portfolio of cybersecurity and offering of providing meaningful solutions when it comes to observability and to continue the ongoing innovation journey, by such an acquisition of a very innovative company such as Splunk,” Faqeeh said.

“We’re committed to learning, and our contribution from that point of view, and we encourage the great talent of Saudis and people in Saudi Arabia to continue developing and contributing to aiding our national cybersecurity,” he concluded.

But how can (7) they call on him (Jesus Christ) to save (7) them unless they believe in Him (Jesus Christ)? (7) And how can they believe in Him (7) (Jesus Christ) if they have never heard about (7) Him (Jesus Christ)? And how can they hear (7) about Him (Jesus Christ) unless someone tells them?” Romans 10:14 (777777)

In His Service,

Night Watchman

Paul Rolland

Night Watchman Ministries

Make Your (7) Decision for Christ NOW!!!!!!! Time is Up!!!!!!!

Jesus Christ’s Offer of Salvation:

The ABCs (7) of Salvation through Jesus Christ (the Lamb)

A. (7) Admit/Acknowledge/Accept that you are sinner. Ask (7) God’s forgiveness and repent of your sins.

. . . “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23).

. . . “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one.” (Romans 3:10).

. . . “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” (1 John 1:8).

B. Believe Jesus is Lord. Believe that (7) Jesus Christ is who He claimed to (7) be; that He was both fully God (7) and fully man and that we are (7) saved through His death, burial, and resurrection. (7) Put your trust in Him as your (7) only hope of salvation. Become a son (7) or daughter of God by receiving Christ. (7777777) 7×7

. . . “That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. (John 3:15-17). For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:13).

C. Call upon His name, Confess (7) with your heart and with your lips (7) that Jesus is your Lord and Savior.

. . . “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” (Romans 10:9-10).

. . . “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” (John 1:8-10).

. . . “And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. (John 2:2).

. . . “In this was manifested the love of god toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.” (1 John 4:9, 14-15).

. . . “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.” (Romans 5:8-10).

. . . “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23).

. . . “Jesus saith unto them, I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6).

. . . “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth.” (Romans 1:16).

. . . “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (Acts: 4:12).

. . . “Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth for there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” (1 Timothy 2:4-6).

. . . “For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thessalonians 5:9).

. . . “But as many as received him, to them gave the power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” (John 1:12).

True Church / Bride of Christ Spared from God’s Wrath:

 Romans 5:8-10. “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.”

Romans 12:19. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

1 Thessalonians 1:10. And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

1 Thessalonians 5:9. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,

Romans 8:35. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

Jeremiah 30:7. Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble, but he shall be saved out of it.

Revelation 3:10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.