Naver founder and world funding officer Lee Hae-jin, again row left, applauds with Saudi Knowledge & AI Authority (SDAIA) President Abdullah Alghamdi, again row middle, after SDAIA and Naver officers signed an MOU on their partnerships on the World AI Summit in Riyadh, Sept. 10. Courtesy of Naver
Naver Arabia to spearhead AI, digital twin biz
By Nam Hyun-woo
Naver will arrange a Center East unit in Saudi Arabia by the tip of this 12 months because the Korean web service big explores enterprise alternatives in synthetic intelligence (AI), digital twin and different nationwide digitization initiatives being pursued by Arab nations.
Based on Naver, Monday, the unit, tentatively referred to as Naver Arabia, might be primarily based in Saudi Arabia, serving as the corporate’s regional headquarters within the Center East.
To facilitate this, Naver will be part of Saudi Arabia’s Regional Headquarters (RHQ) Program, a assist initiative led by the Ministry of Funding and the Royal Fee for Riyadh Metropolis to draw and accommodate the regional headquarters of world corporations.
Within the course of, Naver will collaborate with companions on Saudi Arabia’s nationwide know-how initiatives, aiming to discover a variety of enterprise alternatives inside the sector.
Naver additionally mentioned it’s in discussions with numerous native companions to determine a number of joint ventures in initiatives presently being pursued by the Saudi Arabian authorities.
Naver didn’t disclose its companions, saying that its efforts are nonetheless within the early levels. Nonetheless, there may be rising hypothesis that it could collaborate with Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Municipalities and Housing, in addition to the Nationwide Housing Firm, each of that are concerned within the nation’s digital twin platform undertaking.
Naver CEO Choi Soo-yeon introduces the corporate’s HyperCLOVA X synthetic intelligence agent throughout a press convention in Gangnam District, Seoul, Aug. 24, 2023. Courtesy of Naver
Naver signed a take care of the Saudi Arabian authorities in October final 12 months to create a digital twin platform for Riyadh and 4 different cities. Digital twin refers to a know-how mirroring real-world entities in a digital setting.
Along with the digital twin platform, Naver’s regional headquarters is predicted to function the hub for its partnership with Saudi Arabia in growing the nation’s sovereign AI. AI sovereignty refers to a nation’s capacity to create AI companies utilizing its personal infrastructure, language, information, workforce, and enterprise networks.
On Sept. 12, Naver and its associates signed a memorandum of understanding with the Saudi Knowledge & AI Authority to cooperate in numerous sectors, together with AI, cloud computing, information facilities and robots.
Beneath the MOU, either side plan to collaborate within the improvement of an Arabic large-language mannequin (LLM), together with know-how options and companies in associated fields.
Naver has been stressing the significance of sovereign AI, warning that the worldwide enlargement of generative AIs powered by LLMs developed by tech giants within the U.S. and China may threaten the technological sovereignty of different international locations. In keeping with this angle, Naver has been selling its personal Korean-based LLM, HyperCLOVA X, as a key instance of sustaining technological autonomy.
As Naver is predicted to use the know-how behind HyperCLOVA X to develop the Arabic LLM, business consultants imagine there’s a sturdy chance that Naver will develop its presence past Saudi Arabia into different Arab nations.
“Following the collaboration within the digital twin platform, full-scale cooperation within the improvement of sovereign AI with Saudi Arabia marks one other milestone,” a Naver official mentioned. “Ranging from the Center East, Staff Naver’s technology-based companies are anticipated to develop their world attain.”
