Saudi Government Developing AI Technology To Ease Entry of Pilgrims, Visitors
By Nurul Siti Amirah Idris
MADINAH, April 25 (Bernama) -- Saudi Arabia, on the threshold of adopting the rapid technological changes throughout the world, is undergoing a renaissance by accepting and using Artificial Intelligence (AI) at the forefront of a digital revolution, by developing a system to ease pilgrims to perform their Haj prayers in the Holy Land.
Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Minister (Umrah Affairs) Dr Abdul Rahman Shams said the government of Saudi Arabia keeps upgrading the system every year to ensure pilgrims who come to the country can enjoy a comfortable and unforgetable experience.
“The adoption of AI technology is the best initiative for pilgrims to ease their movement in Saudi Arabia through applications like Nusuk, which enables pilgrims to enter Raudhah in a more comfortable and conducive manner compared with the traditional method.
“All government agencies and private sectors in the country are actively developing various initiatives that can ensure a smooth process for pilgrims,” he told Bernama TV at the ‘Forum Umrah dan Ziarah 2024’ which was held at the Raja Salman International Convention Centre, here Wednesday.
Officiated by the Governor of Madinah, Putera Salman bin Sultan Abdulaziz Al Saud, the forum gathered various agencies related to haj and umrah, service providers, travel and tourism agencies under one roof, as part of efforts to provide exposure to the industry players.
Meanwhile, Arab Saudi’s digital services provider, Tasheer, will develop a biometric system that can be fully used by visitors who enter the country, as an alternative to the traditional passport stamping process used at entry points in the country.
Tasheer Product Director, Abdulelah Alghamdi said to introduce various technological products through the government’s efforts, the company has also organised introduction courses for several countries, including Malaysia.
“Tasheer has many participants from Malaysia, especially from the tourism agencies and agencies related to the Haj and Umrah services.
“Through the Foreign Ministry of Saudi Arabia, service providers in Malaysia are also given briefings about the applications developed by Tasheer to gather biometric data of pilgrims and visitors to the country,” he said.
-- BERNAMA
