RIYADH: Artificial intelligence is the world’s “new mathematics” and will make humans “more efficient” and allow them to “enjoy better lives,” according to the president of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST). Professor Tony Chan was speaking to the first episode of the AI Summit Podcast program, launched by the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), about a number of issues related to AI in the Kingdom and the world at large. He cited the contribution of KAUST in the field, including the advances in the AI science of today and its impact on business and humanitarian aspects of life. In an interview with Hussam Al-Mayman, Chan said the ongoing second version of SDAIA summit was a great investment into AI and an integral part of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, which highlited its commitment to investment in technology and developing the human capital. He told the program collecting macro-data enabled AI to play a role in improving the way humanity handles data, explaining: “When you merge data with AI technologies, this will help to ameliorate business.” He continued: “We want to develop achieve pioneership at the state-of-the-art level and we don’t want to purchase technology, but to invent it.” Professor Chan cast light on the new research center at KAUST, named SDAIA for AI Research, which is aiming to bring the world to the Kingdom to carry out AI research and turning Saudi Arabia — already one of world’s best 20 research centers -- into a leading player in the sector.