The Jordanian government has kept pace with the reliance of many on artificial intelligence and announced, on Thursday, the launch of “Farah,” the government’s digital spokesperson, a virtual character developed with artificial intelligence, to begin communicating with the people, according to what the Jordanian Ministry of Government Communications announced.
In its post on the “X” platform, the Ministry attached a video clip of “Farah” of that character, who introduced herself in a colloquial dialect as a digital speaker, “in an experience that is the first of its kind in the region and the world.”
She added, "The government's goal in this initiative is to harness digital technology to develop communication tools to deliver information to citizens."
For his part, the Minister of Government Communications and the official spokesman for the Jordanian government, Muhammad Al-Momani, said in a post on the “X” platform: “As part of the government’s continuous endeavor to employ digital technology and artificial intelligence tools to communicate and explain government decisions and policies and make information available; The digital spokesman service (Farah) will be launched, which will be one of the digital government communication tools. Which aims to provide citizens and those interested with information.”
The Jordanian News Agency (Petra) said that the launch of the “Farah” account on the “Instagram” platform aims to be a new digital window to communicate with the public and provide information to citizens in a simplified and direct manner.
She added that the launch of “Farah” came as part of a trend to employ modern technology to communicate with citizens, and to answer questions related to issues of concern to the street, through digital content directed to users of communication platforms.
She pointed out that Farah speaks in a simplified manner. To constitute a qualitative addition to traditional communication channels, in an experience aimed at keeping pace with the accelerating digital transformation and changing the ways the public receives official information and news.
She stressed that the launch of the digital speaker is seen as a pioneering step in the process of employing artificial intelligence in institutional work and public communication, in conjunction with the trend of official institutions to enhance their presence on digital platforms and reach broader segments of society.
In a new step that reflects the administration of US President Donald Trump's use of the official White House website to promote its policies and political messages, the administration, on Thursday, launched a series of electronic games that simulate some of its priorities, including tightening border controls and building the border wall, in the latest move within its digital campaign that sparked widespread controversy because of the images and content it sometimes included that were considered racist and offensive, according to CNN.
The games posted on the White House website include games in which users play the role of arresting people crossing the southern border, as well as other games that allow them to build a border wall.
“Rio Run”... chase on the border
In the game “Rio Run,” users take on the role of patrol agents along the Rio Grande River, where they must arrest everyone who crosses the border in the area, with the goal of achieving as many deportations as possible.
The game is similar in design to the “Snake” game, as the user icon appears in the form of an elderly white man wearing a blue tie, while the “expressors” appear in the form of people with brown, black, or white skin.
When the player succeeds in arresting one of the “crossers,” the person suddenly appears wearing an orange jumpsuit, and then begins to follow the player.
America Garcia Grewal, co-director of the Texas-based Frontera Federation, told Agence France-Presse: “This disgusts me. "They've been manipulating people's lives for years, and now they're creating a video game of their actions."
She continued: “The designers of this game have lost the meaning of being human and caring for others.”
“Building the wall”... confronting “zombies” on the border
Another immigration-themed game is called “Build the Wall,” and it asks users to stack bricks to build a wall and “hold out” in the face of what the game describes as a “zombie border siege.”
Games are not limited to issues of immigration and borders, as other games urge users to fly a bald eagle over the National Mall, or fill “Trump accounts for their children” by collecting diamonds and cash.
A White House official told CNN: “This is an attempt to highlight the contradiction between the culture of fun and winning and the dark socialist vision that Democrats hold for America.”
Controversy over the use of government platforms
Trump and the White House have been subjected to severe criticism for their extensive use of social media and official government platforms, including publishing images and materials described as racist and offensive.
Among the examples that sparked criticism was the publication of a photo of the House Minority Leader, Hakeem Jeffries, wearing a sombrero hat, along with a depiction of former President Barack Obama's family as monkeys in a forest.
While some users publish their results in the White House games on the “X” platform, others wonder about the administration’s priorities, especially in light of the Iranian war and the high costs of living.
CNN reported in November that the Trump administration is taking an unconventional approach in dealing with the White House website, as it does not see it as merely an official platform for disseminating government information, but rather as an additional means to promote its political message.
The network quoted one of the officials as saying: “The website is rich in information in many ways, but it is also a means to spread our message, and we are able to use it as a weapon in a way that no other administration has been able to do.”
Bahrain signed a contract for its participation in the Expo 2030 Riyadh exhibition, paving the way for the start of a new phase of its preparations for the international event hosted by the Saudi capital.
This step establishes an official framework for Bahrain's participation in Expo 2030 Riyadh, and allows it to move forward towards completing the organizational and operational aspects related to its participation over the six months of the exhibition, including the development of its pavilion, programs and experiences provided to visitors.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, Chairman of the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities, confirmed after signing the agreement that his country’s participation in “Expo 2030 Riyadh” reflects the depth of the fraternal and historical relations that bring the two countries together, and the growing cooperation it is witnessing in various fields.
Active presence
The Chairman of the Authority explained that signing the contract represents an important milestone in Bahrain’s preparations for “Expo 2030 Riyadh,” and embodies its keenness to actively participate in this global forum, and to provide participation that reflects its identity, achievements, and future aspirations, thus enhancing its presence on the international scene.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Ahmed added that the national work teams are continuing their efforts to complete the organizational and preparatory aspects of participation, ensuring the provision of an integrated Bahraini presence that keeps pace with the importance of the event, and the global space it provides for cultural and knowledge exchange and building partnerships.
For his part, Talal Al Marri, CEO of Expo 2030 Riyadh, confirmed that this step reflects the growing momentum we are witnessing as countries move from the stage of confirming participation to implementing what they will present in Riyadh in 2030, noting that the features of the exhibition begin to take greater shape with the signing of contracts, through the pavilions, programs and experiences that countries will provide to visitors.
Al Marri looks forward to working closely with the Bahrain team during the next stage, and to a distinguished participation that reflects its vision, culture and ambitions, and contributes to enriching the “Expo 2030 Riyadh” experience.
The signing of the contract moves Bahrain’s participation from the stage of confirmation and preparation to planning and implementation, as it is planned to create a sustainable pavilion that will continue beyond the period of the exhibition to become part of the Global Village, one of the components of the sustainable legacy that “Expo 2030 Riyadh” will leave.
Preparations progress
While more than 145 countries confirmed their participation in Expo 2030 Riyadh, countries, with the progress of preparations, began to move to the stage of signing official participation contracts, the most recent of which was France last month, on the sidelines of the visit of Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, to Paris.
The conclusion of official contracts reflects the continued progress in preparations for hosting Expo 2030 Riyadh, and comes in the wake of Saudi Arabia and the International Bureau of Exhibitions recently signing the agreement on privileges and benefits granted to international participants, which establishes the legal and administrative framework regulating the participation of countries and international organizations.
This growing momentum in international participation coincides with tangible progress across the various paths of preparation for hosting Expo 2030 Riyadh, as site, infrastructure and construction development work continues at an accelerated pace, in parallel with the development of operational plans and qualitative experiences that will contribute to shaping the features of the event and enriching the experience of its visitors.
“Expo 2030 Riyadh” will be held during the period from October 1, 2030 until March 31, 2031, under the slogan “A Vision for the Future” and across five main regions, bringing together over a period of six months more than 200 official participants.
The exhibition, which will receive 42 million visits, will constitute a global forum that enhances cooperation and the exchange of ideas and experiences between participants from different parts of the world, through national pavilions, cultural programmes, innovation and interactive experiences.
