A Weekly Overview of Perspectives from Arab Media
A Moment of Honor for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Across the Arab and Islamic worlds, many feel a profound sense of pride as their cultural and spiritual heritage is increasingly acknowledged as a cornerstone of global civilization. Islams enduring message, rooted in peace and compassion, began when a young man named Muhammad Ibn Abdullah sought solitude in the Cave of Hira near Meccalater known as Jabal al-Nour, the Mountain of Light. There, the angel Gabriel appeared to him with the command, Read. Three times Muhammad replied that he could not, until the divine instruction was finally revealed: Read in the name of your Lord who created you. This moment illuminated a faith that reshaped societies and left a lasting mark on world history.
At that time, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia had not yet come into existence, and the Arabian Peninsula was home to dispersed tribes marked by conflict. From this landscape, Islams transformative teachings began their spread, inspiring remarkable cultural, scientific, and philosophical achievements.
Centuries later, Abdulaziz bin Abdul Rahman Al Saud (Ibn Saud), a young leader from Najd, achieved what many deemed impossible: He unified the warring tribes and established the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 1932. The new nation quickly rose in prominence and continues to champion peace, cultural dynamism, and innovation both domestically and regionally.
The clear direction of the Kingdom, along with its expanding global role, has drawn attention in Washington. US President Donald Trump, joined by senior officials, policymakers, and business leaders, received Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman with striking warmth and respect. For many Saudis, this moment symbolizes the vision and leadership embodied by King Salman and the crown princedescendants of King Ibn Saud and heirs to his legacy.
The accomplishments of Saudi leadership in recent years have energized the nation, strengthening the identity and aspirations of a new generation benefiting from world-class education and expanding opportunities. The Kingdoms mission is not competition, but the alleviation of sufferingfrom disease to povertyand the pursuit of progress for all humanity. While challenges remain, the willingness to acknowledge missteps and adjust course has become one of its defining strengths.
The enthusiastic reception of the crown prince in Washington has only reinforced Saudi confidence in its national trajectory. Vision 2030 continues to guide domestic transformation, drawing upon values rooted in the Prophet Muhammads messagecoexistence, devotion, and compassion. These principles shape daily life and strengthen the Kingdoms commitment to peace.
Saudi Arabia seeks to contribute to its region and the world by promoting cooperation, respect, and stability. Its ambition is not dominance but the advancement of a shared global good. After generations marked by conflict, the hope is that science, innovation, and human ingenuity will prevail over strife.
Today, as the Kingdom advances its leadership in technology and innovation, it continues to carry forward a message that has transcended borders for centuries. The teachings of the Prophet Muhammad, the unifying vision of King Ibn Saud, and the modern leadership of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed together guide Saudi Arabia into a new era.
When Trump and Mohammed bin Salman Align Interests
Recent discussions have focused on what Saudi Arabia gained through its agreements with the United Statesamong them a defense pact, cooperation on a civilian nuclear program, and progress toward securing F-35 aircraftand what Washington received in return, including a trillion-dollar investment commitment. Yet these transactional details obscure a more profound strategic shift.
Both leaders deliberately placed their AI development partnership at the heart of their initiative. This was no symbolic gesture; it signaled a realignment centered on artificial intelligence as the strategic core of future global power.
Trumps strategy looks toward 2027a year many analysts consider critical in the international race for AI dominance, when advantages in technology, energy, and industry may solidify beyond reversal. To understand the weight of the USSaudi deal, one must examine the AI supply chain. Advanced artificial intelligence relies on raw materials and semiconductor production, sectors currently dominated by China.
As Beijings leverage has become increasingly evident, the United States has accelerated the creation of an alternative supply network. Agreements on mining and processing have been established with Australia, Malaysia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Ukraine, and Pakistan. These partnerships form an expanding architecture intended to reduce dependency on China.
The second major challenge is energy. According to US government data, data centers and AI systems consumed roughly 4% of American electricity in 2024a figure expected to triple by 2028. With electric vehicles and cryptocurrency adding strain, parts of the grid are already under pressure. Tech companies are responding: Microsoft has purchased a civilian nuclear reactor to help support data-center demand, yet even this will be insufficient.
This growing energy requirement intersects directly with Trumps strategy. His first foreign visit in his second term, as in his first, was to Saudi Arabia. Accompanying him were leading technology executives, including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, who reportedly emphasized that the cost of operating AI will increasingly correlate with the cost of energy. In this emerging landscape, control of energy translates to influence over the future of artificial intelligence.
Saudi Arabia, with its vast energy resources and rapidly developing technological infrastructure, is positioned as an essential partnernot merely in name, but in capability. At the same time, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is pushing to transform the Kingdom from an energy exporter into a global hub for AI infrastructure and services.
Geographically, the Kingdom also lies at the center of the IndiaMiddle EastEurope Economic Corridor, a project designed to rival Chinas Belt and Road Initiative through an independent network for energy, data, and trade. Within this framework, Israel holds assets in technology and security that could eventually integrate into this emerging system, providing stability and a bridge to the Mediterranean.
Trump, who often asserts that only he can broker historic peace, may be positioning himself for major milestones aheadincluding the US midterm elections and a renewed bid for recognition on the global stage. The geopolitical architecture now forming suggests an effort to present him as a leader capable of fostering unprecedented regional reconciliation.
The First Era of Artificial Intelligenceand the Threat It Brings
We are entering the first true era of artificial intelligence, a time when the lines between authentic and fabricated information grow increasingly uncertain. AI already sows division, fuels anger, and mobilizes people in ways that are difficult to foresee. The urgent question is how media can protect public opinion from manipulation.
Leading experts, including Geoffrey Hintonthe renowned father of artificial intelligencehave warned that AI could outpace human capability, generate digital pathogens, or create autonomous weapons. Perhaps most troubling is AIs ability to isolate individuals within personalized content bubbles that reinforce their biases.
Social platforms such as TikTok amplify this risk, ranking content not by quality or truthfulness but by engagement. This dynamic elevates the trivial while burying serious journalism, reshaping public consciousness.
Todays information environment demands rigorous verification across multiple sourcesnews agencies, official statements, credible institutions, and open data repositories. Verification now extends to images and videos through digital forensics, reverse searches, and AI-detection tools. While not infallible, these methods provide essential safeguards.
Modern newsrooms must develop teams capable of understanding how AI models generate text, how fabricated images and videos can appear authentic, and how chatbots may produce convincing falsehoods. Academic institutions must adapt by preparing specialists for what may become a new profession: the AI integrity auditor.
Humans created the machineand humans remain responsible for guiding it. Journalism must serve as the ethical compass of AI, preserving truth amid algorithmic noise. While some jobs will disappear and others will arise, societies cannot rely on censorship; only informed awareness and strong legal protections can counter manipulation.
The pressing question is no longer whether humanity can halt AI, but whether it can harness the technology without becoming subservient to it. The answer begins with media capable of confronting falsehoods and defending truth.
