Saudi FM meets Spanish counterpart in Luxembourg

RIYADH: State-owned property developer ROSHN said it is using artificial intelligence across its operations to enhance efficiency, improve the customer experience and support its sustainability efforts.

Speaking to Arab News on the sidelines of the LEAP 2025 technology conference in Riyadh, Pablo Sanz, executive director of digital products, said: “We are deploying multiple AI agents … so we can serve you better or we can solve your problems in a more convenient way.”

The move was part of the company’s broader strategy to simplify processes and improve accessibility, to assist customers with purchases, moving in and managing services, he said.

Sanz said AI-powered tools were being used to create 3D models of buildings, automate the procurement process, streamline construction, reduce waste, improve efficiency and analyze data on real estate markets.

ROSHN recently partnered with Google Cloud to enhance its AI capabilities. The collaboration is designed to improve data-driven decision making and ensure the company’s developments align with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030 for smart and sustainable cities.

“AI is changing how we do a lot of things,” Sanz said. “The human touch is still important, but AI allows us to work faster and make processes more convenient in many areas, from customer interactions to supplier relationships.”

ROSHN has plans to build fully integrated communities in nine cities across the country and is a key player in the Kingdom’s goal to achieve 70 percent home ownership by 2030.

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has launched its first comprehensive master plan to coordinate infrastructure projects in Riyadh for 2025, easing traffic congestion, optimizing spending, and aligning with Vision 2030’s sustainable development goals.

Mayor of Riyadh and Chairman of the Infrastructure Projects Center Prince Faisal bin Ayyaf announced the comprehensive plan, which is part of broader efforts led by the capital’s Infrastructure Projects Center, established by a Cabinet decision in July 2023.

The plan represents a qualitative shift in the region’s development, as it puts an end to random and individual works and moves to a new stage that depends on collective planning and prior coordination.

In a speech during the plan’s review ceremony, Prince Faisal said that it will help in addressing clashes between various projects within the region and arranging priorities, by placing all projects within a unified timetable, which will improve the quality of life for the residents in the capital.

Osama Ghanem Alobaidy, adviser and professor of corporate law at the Institute of Public Administration in Riyadh, told Arab News: “The plan announced by the Riyadh mayor is a welcome move to reduce traffic congestions in the city.

“The increase in the city’s population, infrastructure projects as well as residential, commercial, investment projects, and mega projects have also resulted in traffic congestion.

“This master plan will better manage these problems through the creation of a structured and coordinated system that will allow the authorities to better manage the infrastructure projects around the city and will lead to the easing of traffic congestion. It will also lead to the optimizing of spending efficiency and ensure sustainability of infrastructure projects.”

Prince Faisal hailed the initiative as a transformative milestone for Riyadh. 

He noted that the Infrastructure Projects Center anticipates the urban growth of the city with careful planning, which raises the efficiency of projects and ensures the improvement of services provided to residents and visitors.

The mayor added that infrastructure is vital for any city and raises its capabilities, with Riyadh set to host major global events such as the AFC Asian Cup in 2027, Winter Asian Olympics in 2029, World Expo in 2030, the FIFA World Cup in 2034, and the Asian Games in 2034.

Fahad Al-Badah, CEO of the center, described the plan as a model for national cooperation, developed through a comprehensive engineering methodology. The process involved data collection, integration of planning efforts, and collaboration with over 15 government and service entities.

Al-Badah added that more than 837 plans were reviewed and approved, leading to the restructuring of 1,737 project phases and accumulating over 100,000 work hours. The center also conducted over 80 workshops and automated more than 66,000 pre-coordinated permits for 2025.

Riyadh has evolved from an emerging city into a global economic hub over the years, and is a leading investment destination. Its land area has expanded immensely, and its population has surpassed 7 million.

This rapid growth is reflected in the surge in infrastructure work permits, which have tripled from 50,000 in 2017 to over 150,000 in 2024.

“These figures underscore the city’s accelerated urban and economic expansion,” Al-Badah noted.

He underlined that sustaining this momentum requires adopting global best practices in infrastructure development, aligning with the ambitious goals of Vision 2030.