RIYADH, RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA, February 10, 2025 /ennovaterz/ — Amongst humanoids, ominous-looking robotic dogs, and even a cute, automated panda, DeepFest 2025, the world’s leading artificial intelligence (AI) conference, got underway on Sunday in Riyadh showcasing how AI will shape the future and demonstrating Saudi Arabia’s ambitious drive to become a global leader in the field.
Running from 9-12 February at Riyadh International Exhibition and Convention Centre in Malham, the four-day show is co-located alongside LEAP, the Kingdom’s award-winning global tech event. Organised by Tahaluf and powered by the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), this year’s edition was officially opened by His Excellency Dr Esam Alwigait, Director of the National Information Centre at SDAIA.
Calling DeepFest 2025 “an event where we can see the future unfold before our eyes”, Alwigait outlined the Kingdom’s key role in the development of AI, detailing how the future-focused country was ranked 14th in the Global AI Index 2024, is the fastest country to invest in AI worldwide, is No1 for government AI strategy globally, and No1 for AI governance in the Gulf region.
“Over the next four days, we will explore how AI ethics and regulations go side-by-side with innovation and how AI is transforming healthcare institutions, sports, urban messaging, and society. We’ll see that AI is not just a tool, but a massive power that enables us to solve complex problems and create opportunities.”
Following Alwigait on the DeepFest Main Stage was Marc Raibert, Founder and Executive Director of the AI Institute and chairperson of Boston Dynamics, renowned for its pioneering work in the development of robotic dogs. Wearing a colourful shirt and a beaming smile, Raibert said he has “the luxury of having fun every day by building robots” before playing the packed room a video of his creations dancing ballet, performing pirouettes and backflips, and leaping from box-to-box with the agility of a parkour expert.
Yet while attendees gawped, Raibert played down robots’ abilities, calling them “really stupid” and “as dumb as door knobs”, adding: “I could take any person in this room, show them a mechanical task, and teach them in 10-20 minutes how to do it, but it takes a room full of very skilled scientists and programmers to do the simplest things.”
AI Innovation and Ethical Development in Robotics and Entertainment
- Raibert’s AI Institute focuses on developing cognitive AI, enabling robots to watch, understand, and replicate complex human tasks.
- Raibert dismisses fears of robots taking over, stating that AI will not lead to a dystopian future.
- AI technologies are advancing, with applications like automatic baristas, load-bearing robots, and drones showcased by QSS Robotics.
- UBTech presented Walker, a service robot designed as a panda, showcasing their innovative creations.
- Sony AI President Michael Spranger emphasized the company’s focus on ethics, creativity, and human imagination.
- Sony, primarily an entertainment company, has developed a novel measure for skin color to improve diversity in AI models.
- This new approach helps to better represent global diversity and reduce biases in AI systems.
The primary focus of Spranger’s presentation however was Gran Turismo Sophy, a revolutionary superhuman racing driver that has, through AI development, mastered the highly realistic game of Gran Turismo Sport and is now helping train the world’s best esports drivers as they seek to improve. But that is not the end goal, said Spranger. “AI is helping creators create better games, pictures, and music. Sophy, for example, is now a part of the story of Gran Turismo, catering to all racing enthusiasts across the world.”
Annabelle Mander, Executive Vice President, Tahaluf, which co-organises LEAP with the Saudi Ministry for Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) and the Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming, and Drones (SAFCSP), said: “The first day of DeepFest 2025 has proved, once again, the critical role of AI in the future of technology. Co-located with LEAP 2025, which today announced multi-billion dollar investments totaling US$14.9 by domestic and global heavyweights, DeepFest serves as a crucial platform and an important pillar in Saudi Arabia’s AI roadmap, convening global leaders and innovators, offering attendees unparalleled access to the latest innovative technologies, and driving the understanding of AI’s future potential.”
Bringing together AI innovators and transformation leaders, DeepFest 2025 will feature more than 150 speakers, 120 exhibitors, and attendance exceeding 50,000 participants from around the world. For more information, visit DeepFest.com
