Chinese AI firm SenseTime to work with Saudi Arabian companies on smart city, digital tourism

A staff member introduces a promotion video of 5G AI technology at the exhibition center of the national big data (Guizhou) comprehensive pilot zone in southwest China's Guizhou Province, May 26, 2022. (Xinhua/Ou Dongqu)

Hong Kong-headquartered artificial intelligence (AI) company SenseTime (00020.HK) will cooperate with Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) and the leading cultural tourism event management company Sela in areas of smart city, digital tourism and entertainment, according to their cooperation documents signed on Tuesday.

On the day, SenseTime inked a memorandum of understanding with KAFD and a letter of intent with Sela.

SenseTime will integrate its AI technology, customer service and project implementation experience with local needs in Saudi Arabia to facilitate the country's digital development, Xu Li, chairman and CEO of SenseTime said.

The partnerships between SenseTime and the two Saudi Arabian companies are also expected to accelerate the progress towards Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030.

After its entry into the Saudi Arabian market in 2018, SenseTime established a joint venture with Public Investment Fund (PIF), the sovereign wealth fund of Saudi Arabia, to jointly provide innovative AI solutions for the Middle East region. It has also worked with Saudi Data & Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) to launch a AI education program, delivering a comprehensive AI curriculum for many teachers and students across the country.