RIYADH: Saudi Arabia will showcase its achievements in building smart townships at a global event in Spain through the participation of its artificial intelligence authority. According to the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority, it will display its AI expertise at the Smart City Expo World Congress to be held in Barcelona on Nov. 7-9. Essam Al-Wagait, director of the National Information Center, will shed light on SDAIA’s contributions in deploying the latest technologies to enhance the quality of life of the Kingdom’s residents. As a global event partner, SDAIA will also demonstrate its commitment to aligning with the UN’s sustainable development goals and achieving the objectives outlined in Saudi Vision 2030. The authority will showcase its efforts in the field of digital transformation, including the national smart cities platforms — Sawaher and Baseer. The event will feature sessions on transforming cities through AI, with participation from Yasser Al-Onaizan, deputy CEO of the National Center for Artificial Intelligence at SDAIA, along with other industry experts. Among them are Christina Yan Zhang, CEO of the Metaverse Institute, and Patricia Molina, who serves as the director of city, territory, and environment at TECNALIA. Additionally, Greg Wilson, who holds the position of worldwide public sector government chief technology officer at Microsoft, and Charbel Aoun, the director of smart city and spaces at NVIDIA. Another session, titled “Smart Governance Responding to Citizen’s Needs,” will feature Sattam Al-Subaie, CEO of the Smart City Excellence Center at SDAIA, along with other distinguished speakers. In a separate session focusing on the evolution of modern urban living, experts will emphasize the importance of creating comprehensive ecosystems that cater to the varied needs and aspirations of urban populations. The Smart City Expo World Congress is one of the largest and most influential gatherings dedicated to urban innovation and cities, with more than 25,000 multi-sectoral participants from 140 countries.