Following China’s DeepSeek AI, Saudi Arabia has introduced its own artificial intelligence chatbot, ‘Ryan’, designed specifically to answer questions about the global labor market. The AI-powered chatbot was a key highlight at the Global Labor Market Conference (GLMC), held at the King Abdulaziz International Conference Center.
Developed by Takamol, a Riyadh-based company, Ryan is available in two versions:
- Onsite version – Responds only in English.
- Online version – Supports multiple languages, including French, Arabic, and Spanish, providing text-based responses.
During a demonstration, Ryan maintained its labor market focus, displaying a disclaimer when asked about former U.S. President Donald Trump:
“I must clarify that my expertise lies in global labor market topics. However, I can provide general insights into U.S. market trends and policies during his tenure.”
This controlled approach ensures that the chatbot stays aligned with its primary function as a labor market consultant.
Abdullah Al-Thawad, Senior Director of Analytics at Takamol, elaborated on Ryan’s capabilities:
- The offline version delivers concise responses (around 50-60 words).
- The online version offers detailed insights on labor market trends and economic policies.
Ryan also partially answers general questions about Saudi Arabia’s economic outlook, its cuisine, and historical landmarks.
Al-Thawad emphasized that Ryan is an upgraded version of previous AI models, fine-tuned to be an intelligent labor market advisor.
“We have developed this AI model, ‘Ryan’, to work as a labor market advisor for any question regarding the global labor market. As you know, we created this stall with two versions — online access and offline for showcasing at this conference,” he told PTI.
While Ryan is tailored for labor market intelligence, China’s DeepSeek AI, developed by DeepSeek Research Lab in Hangzhou, is a multi-purpose AI model created by engineer Liang Wenfeng in 2023.
DeepSeek has garnered global attention, surpassing ChatGPT in downloads. Unlike U.S.-based AI models, which typically require subscriptions, DeepSeek remains completely free and is praised for its accuracy.
However, DeepSeek currently lacks image-generation capabilities, unlike some advanced Western AI models.
As Saudi Arabia steps into the AI space with Ryan, the chatbot represents a strategic move to enhance labor market analytics, offering tailored insights for businesses, policymakers, and job seekers worldwide.