Saudi Arabia is developing new AI algorithms that will make it the crowd management of pilgrims and visitors to the two Holy Mosques easier.

The Saudi Ministry of Interior, represented by the Special Forces for the Security of Hajj and Umrah, and the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) have announced a strategic partnership to make this dream a reality.

Lieutenant General Mohammed Al-Bassami, Director of Public Security at the Ministry of Interior, announced the technology during a Global AI Summit panel discussion titled “Holistic Adoption of AI Technology”, adding that it is meant to increase visitor capacity in line with the targets of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.

The crowd management AI technologies will ensure that crowds are kept under control as they enter and leave, ensuring that the right amount of people are present anywhere around the Holy Mosques at any given time. The new technologies also make it easier to handle any crowd-related contingencies swiftly and with minimal disruption.

Lt. Gen. Bassami pointed out that the Ministry of Interior has multiple plans in place to manage crowds and move people in and out of the two Holy Mosques using real-time monitoring. He added that AI enables enhanced coordination and integration among many agencies to achieve the overall goal of making the experience of pilgrimage smoother and safer.

Dr. Majed Altuwaijri, Chief Executive Officer of the National Center for Artificial Intelligence (NCAI), said that the cooperation comes as part of NCAI’s efforts to develop AI solutions for applications across various national sectors, in addition to providing the best possible service for the pilgrims.

Held under the patronage of H.H. Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the conference took place at King Abdulaziz Conference Center in Riyadh between 13-15 September.