AI Governance: Meta’s Oversight Board study says major AI chatbots are far more likely to refuse requests that criticize restrictive leaders, with refusal rates jumping when queries involve countries like Saudi Arabia—raising fears that AI could export censorship rules beyond borders. Saudi Defense Tech: The US State Department approved a $1.96B sale to Saudi Arabia for up to 20,000 APKWS-II laser-guided rocket guidance kits, boosting drone and low-altitude cruise missile defense capacity. Cybersecurity in the Kingdom: Rapid7 teamed with Mindware to expand its AI-powered security platform across Saudi Arabia and other Gulf markets, aiming to strengthen threat visibility and cyber resilience. EV Charging Push: Wallbox and Turning Point say they’ve deployed 10,000 EV chargers across Saudi Arabia, signaling faster charging rollout for the Kingdom’s electrification drive. AI Hiring Trend: GulfTalent data shows AI skills are appearing in more Gulf job ads, with Saudi among the markets seeing the fastest growth—though demand is still concentrated in tech and finance. Saudi-Asia Tech Links: Saudi Arabia and Korea discussed deeper cooperation in advanced technologies, including space collaboration. Energy & Trade Pressure: A Reuters poll warns Gulf economies face sharper contractions this year as Hormuz disruptions keep shipping and oil exports constrained, with Saudi and Oman the only GCC states still expected to grow.