Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) President Dr Abdullah Alghamdi has stressed the need to balance innovation and harness advanced artificial intelligence technologies with sound governance.
He noted that Saudi Arabia was among the first countries to sign UNESCO’s Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence and submitted a proposal to establish the International Center for AI Research and Ethics (ICAIRE), a Saudi Press Agency (SPA) report said.
Alghamdi was speaking at a press briefing of the fourth UNESCO Global Forum on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, being held in Riyadh from September 14 to 17, 2026. He said the forum coincides with Saudi Arabia’s designation of 2026 as the Year of Artificial Intelligence, stressing that the Kingdom’s approach to AI adoption combines support for innovation and development with governance measures, policies, and controls to ensure the optimal use of these technologies.
40 academic programmes
He also noted that more than 40 academic programmes in data and AI had been launched and that more than 1.2 million participants had graduated from the One Million Saudis in AI (SAMAI) Initiative. He also pointed to the launch of SAMAI 2 and several AI governance initiatives.
UNESCO Deputy Director-General Åsa Regnér highlighted the need to broaden access to the benefits of AI and develop inclusive policies that ensure humans remain in control of the technology, strengthen responsibility and accountability, and enable all segments of society to participate in decisions about AI’s future. She also emphasised the importance of international cooperation and the exchange of expertise.
ICAIRE Acting Director-General Dr Majid Alshehry emphasised the importance of translating ethical principles into practice. He said ICAIRE's priorities include capacity-building in developing countries and across Africa, knowledge sharing, empowering women and young people, strengthening the capacity to govern AI responsibly, and ensuring broad participation in shaping inclusive global AI governance.—TradeArabia News Service
