Tomorrow, Monday, Acting President of King Khalid University, Professor Saad bin Mohammed bin Da’ajam, will officially launch the "12th Saudi Conference on High-Performance Computing and Artificial Intelligence." Hosted by the university’s College of Computer Science, the conference will take place from September 2 to 4, 2024, at the University City Exhibition and Conference Center in Al-Fara’a. This event forms a cornerstone of the university’s ongoing commitment to advancing scientific research and developing innovative technological solutions in line with the goals of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, with a particular emphasis on environmental and agricultural sustainability.

Professor Hamid bin Majdoua Al-Qarni, Vice President for Graduate Studies and Scientific Research at King Khalid University and Chairman of the Conference’s Organizing Committee, highlighted the importance of this gathering. He described it as a scholarly platform that brings together a distinguished assembly of experts and researchers from universities and research institutions both within the Kingdom and abroad. The timing of the conference, he noted, is crucial, as the world increasingly turns to high-performance computing and artificial intelligence to confront major environmental challenges like climate change and natural resource management.

Dr. Al-Qarni further pointed out that the conference aims to explore the latest innovations in high-performance computing and artificial intelligence, with a focus on their applications in enhancing environmental sustainability. "Through this conference, the accompanying hackathon, and an exhibition featuring around 20 booths, the university seeks to build bridges of collaboration and provide a platform for the exchange of ideas and knowledge. These efforts are geared towards developing innovative technological solutions to address environmental and agricultural challenges, both within the Kingdom and beyond," he stated.

Dr. Areej Mohammed Al-Assiri, Dean of the College of Computer Science at King Khalid University, elaborated on the conference's agenda, noting that it will feature a series of specialized technical sessions and workshops. These will delve into the applications of high-performance computing and artificial intelligence across various fields, including environmental and agricultural performance enhancement, and the pursuit of sustainable resource use. She also emphasized that the conference will include a hackathon challenge, focusing on delivering cutting-edge technological solutions derived from the latest scientific advancements in computing and AI, with a particular emphasis on tackling climate change-related challenges.

Dr. Al-Assiri added, "The conference will also showcase the latest research and studies conducted in this field, along with discussions on how these technologies can be harnessed to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals that Saudi Arabia aspires to. Our ambition is to foster stronger collaborations between academia and industry, developing innovative solutions that align with both the current and future needs of the Kingdom."