المملكة تشارك في صياغة مستقبل أخلاقيات الذكاء الاصطناعي بالعالم

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has taken upon itself the responsibility of adopting artificial intelligence ethics globally, stemming from its position and international leadership role in the field of data and artificial intelligence. It was among the first countries to adopt the recommendations on artificial intelligence ethics endorsed by UNESCO in November 2021 with the participation of 193 countries. The Kingdom has continued its diligent work on this file after witnessing ongoing transformations and changes in these technologies, which have cast shadows on the nature of daily life for human societies. Concerns have begun to loom on the horizon regarding the use of these technologies without ethical frameworks that govern and protect human life in the present and future.

The Kingdom has committed itself to its international role in establishing a global ethical framework governing the use of artificial intelligence through numerous principles, foremost among them transparency, privacy protection, fairness, and justice. Through "SDAIA," it has contributed, in collaboration with UNESCO, to shaping the future of artificial intelligence that adheres to ethical standards, making these technologies more diverse and positively enriching for human societies.

In light of the continuous and ongoing support that "SDAIA" receives from the Crown Prince, Prime Minister, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority, His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud - may God protect him - "SDAIA" has intensified its efforts to raise awareness of the uses of artificial intelligence technologies at the local level, achieving the objectives of the Kingdom's Vision 2030 aimed at creating a knowledge society, increasing awareness of artificial intelligence ethics, and building national capacities in this field.

At the international level, the Kingdom proposed the establishment of the International Center for Artificial Intelligence Research and Ethics (ICAIRE), which later received sponsorship from UNESCO as a category two center, headquartered in Riyadh. This is considered one of the most significant efforts made by "SDAIA" to continue its diligent work in the field of artificial intelligence ethics, making the center a beacon in artificial intelligence.

The center has an ambitious story that "SDAIA" began one year after its establishment when it launched the International Support Unit for Artificial Intelligence Research at its National Center for Artificial Intelligence. Within two years, the ambition was raised to restructure the unit and transform it into the International Center for Artificial Intelligence Research and Ethics. It proposed, on behalf of the Kingdom, to host it in Riyadh under UNESCO's sponsorship, and in 2022, the Council of Ministers approved the initial classification of the center as a category two center.

In July 2023, the Council of Ministers approved the establishment of the ICAIRE center in Riyadh, which enjoys legal personality and financial and administrative independence. On November 16, 2023, the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in its 42nd session approved granting the ICAIRE center in Riyadh the status of a category two international center under UNESCO's sponsorship, thanks to the efforts of "SDAIA" in collaboration with the National Commission for Education, Culture, and Science.

The center focuses on four areas: providing support for research and development in the field of artificial intelligence, enhancing awareness and communication regarding artificial intelligence ethics, offering relevant recommendations on artificial intelligence policies, and building artificial intelligence capacities, as well as contributing to global efforts that serve humanity in the fields of artificial intelligence.

The center began its efforts with several projects related to artificial intelligence ethics, including inviting researchers and specialists from various countries to participate in an international research initiative linked to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. This initiative aims to support interdisciplinary scientific research in the field of artificial intelligence ethics, promoting the responsible use of smart technologies, developing its theoretical and practical foundations, exploring ethical principles in the design and operation of artificial intelligence systems, and enhancing algorithmic fairness and bias detection, contributing to the development of fair and inclusive global policies and standards.

The initiative involved 45 researchers, academics, and technical experts from 14 countries, covering six main research areas, including ethical principles in the design of artificial intelligence systems, human-centered design, bias detection and algorithmic fairness, responsible use of large language models, in addition to cultural perspectives and justice in analyzing technological and social disparities.

The center is keen on building capacities at the international level and announced in 2025 the launch of the second version of the Elevate initiative in partnership with Microsoft and with support from "SDAIA" to train 5,000 women worldwide. This is part of a strategy aimed at empowering 25,000 women globally in the field of artificial intelligence, ensuring inclusivity and women's empowerment, and contributing to the development of ethical research and practices in artificial intelligence.

The initiative focuses on providing comprehensive training through interactive courses, workshops, and mentoring sessions totaling 26 hours over six weeks, granting participants attendance certificates and the opportunity to apply for the Microsoft Azure AI-900 certification. So far, more than 22,000 women from 92 countries have registered for the initiative.

The center launched the ThakAI platform to be a leading knowledge source for ethical and responsible artificial intelligence, offering carefully selected content in the core areas of artificial intelligence. The platform includes an artificial intelligence glossary and a radar of data and artificial intelligence technologies, inviting experts to enrich the content and promote trustworthy artificial intelligence in line with UNESCO principles and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

The center organized a workshop titled "Artificial Intelligence for Sustainability," aimed at highlighting the efforts of member states in supporting development in the Arab world through a wide network of experts in artificial intelligence and related ethical issues in partnership with the Arab League. The center also held another workshop titled "Tools of Artificial Intelligence Ethics" in partnership with the General Secretariat of the Gulf Cooperation Council to discuss ways to regulate the responsible use of artificial intelligence and its role in developing legislative and ethical frameworks.

As part of deepening global dialogue, the center participated in the Global Artificial Intelligence Summit held in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and organized a joint session with ICESCO and the United Nations High-Level Advisory Board (UN HLAB) to discuss artificial intelligence issues under the slogan "Governance of Artificial Intelligence for Humanity." Additionally, it prepared a report on the Kingdom's readiness by supporting the adoption of UNESCO's "Readiness Assessment Methodology" as a practical tool for implementing the recommendation on artificial intelligence ethics, in partnership with UNESCO.