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Artisans showcase heritage at Al-Atula festival

Artisans showcase heritage at Al-Atula festival
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More than 200 artisans from the region practice and preserve 20 distinct types of skills passed down through generations and showcased in local markets and cultural events. (SUPPLIED/SPA)
Artisans showcase heritage at Al-Atula festival
2 / 5
More than 200 artisans from the region practice and preserve 20 distinct types of skills passed down through generations and showcased in local markets and cultural events. (SUPPLIED/SPA)
Artisans showcase heritage at Al-Atula festival
3 / 5
More than 200 artisans from the region practice and preserve 20 distinct types of skills passed down through generations and showcased in local markets and cultural events. (SUPPLIED/SPA)
Artisans showcase heritage at Al-Atula festival
4 / 5
More than 200 artisans from the region practice and preserve 20 distinct types of skills passed down through generations and showcased in local markets and cultural events. (SUPPLIED/SPA)
Artisans showcase heritage at Al-Atula festival
5 / 5
More than 200 artisans from the region practice and preserve 20 distinct types of skills passed down through generations and showcased in local markets and cultural events. (SUPPLIED/SPA)
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Updated 06 August 2025

Artisans showcase heritage at Al-Atula festival

Artisans showcase heritage at Al-Atula festival

RIYADH: Live demonstrations of traditional crafts by skilled artisans at the eighth Al-Atula Archeological Village Festival have drawn significant interest, according to a Saudi Press Agency report.

Festival supervisor Othman Al-Zahrani said the event features more than 10 sections dedicated to traditional crafts.

These include ancient building techniques, door and window engraving, sword and dagger making, and Sadu weaving, the SPA reported on Wednesday.

The sections offer visitors a unique opportunity to experience traditional professions firsthand with the artisans using simple tools and natural materials rooted in the heritage of the Baha region.

The event aligns with the Year of Handicrafts, an initiative launched to celebrate and support traditional crafts across the Kingdom.

The Baha region is known for its thriving craft industries that reflect the identity and history of its people.

More than 200 artisans from the region practice and preserve 20 distinct types of skills passed down through generations and showcased in local markets and cultural events.


Savvy Games Group signs MoU with HUMAIN to expand use of AI across operations

Savvy Games Group signs MoU with HUMAIN to expand use of AI across operations
Updated 06 November 2025

Savvy Games Group signs MoU with HUMAIN to expand use of AI across operations

Savvy Games Group signs MoU with HUMAIN to expand use of AI across operations
  • Agreement announced this week sets the stage for both companies to explore the development of customized AI models
  • CEO of Savvy Games Group Brian Ward: We are looking forward to working with HUMAIN to identify and unlock ways that would enhance the way we utilize AI at Savvy

RIYADH: Savvy Games Group has signed a memorandum of understanding with HUMAIN, the Saudi-owned artificial intelligence company, to integrate AI systems into the gaming group’s operations.

The agreement announced this week sets the stage for both companies to explore the development of customized AI models.

It also gives Savvy access to HUMAIN’s cloud-based data centers and computing infrastructure, positioning the partnership as both a technology and capability-sharing arrangement between two Public Investment Fund portfolio firms.

“We are looking forward to working with HUMAIN to identify and unlock ways that would enhance the way we utilize AI at Savvy,†said Brian Ward, CEO of Savvy Games Group.

For HUMAIN, the deal comes shortly after the launch of HUMAIN ONE, its agentic AI operating system announced at the Future Investment Initiative in Riyadh last month.

The company positions the system as a foundation for sector-specific AI deployment, including gaming — a field HUMAIN says is now entering a phase where AI can shape both productivity and creative output.

“Game development is one of the most exciting fields where the effective use of AI solutions can make a tangible impact on boosting both creativity and productivity,†said HUMAIN CEO Tareq Amin.

Savvy, which is backed by a $38 billion investment mandate from PIF, has been positioned as a key player in º£½ÇÖ±²¥â€™s ambition to become a global gaming hub.

While most of the company’s public activity has focused on investments and industry consolidation, the MoU suggests a shift toward internal AI capability-building as the domestic gaming market matures.

HUMAIN, meanwhile, sits at the center of º£½ÇÖ±²¥â€™s emerging sovereign AI stack, covering data centers, model training and AI solutions designed for both government and private-sector clients.

Its focus on building Arabic-trained large language models and sector-specific applications has aligned the company with national digital priorities, including localization of core technologies and talent development.

The partnership also reflects a broader strategy inside PIF to create interoperability across portfolio companies, particularly in digital infrastructure and emerging tech.

Rather than treating AI as a standalone product, the agreement signals a move toward shared platforms, shared data layers and unified technical standards — a direction Saudi policymakers have repeatedly stressed as part of Vision 2030’s digital economy agenda.

Neither company disclosed financial terms or a project timeline, but both confirmed that joint R&D initiatives are part of the scope, including experimentation with new AI-driven tools for future gaming projects.

If successfully executed, the agreement would make Savvy one of the first large-scale gaming entities in the region to operationalize AI beyond content recommendation and analytics — shifting it into areas such as automated workflows, talent systems and creative asset generation.