SDAIA Chief: Saudi Arabia positions AI as engine of progress, human development
RIYADH — Dr. Abdullah Alghamdi, president of the Saudi Data and AI Authority (SDAIA), said that Saudi Arabia's hosting of the fourth edition comes in an exceptional year following the Kingdom's designation of 2026 as the Year of Artificial Intelligence. “This reflects the Kingdom's commitment to developing artificial intelligence as a driver of progress, competitiveness, and human development,” he said while addressing the inaugural session of the fourth edition of the UNESCO Global Forum on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence (GFEAI 2026) in Riyadh on Tuesday. Co-hosted by Saudi Arabia and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the forum, under the theme “Transforming Global Cooperation for Ethical AI Governance” will run through September 17. The forum is organized by SDAIA, in partnership with the UNESCO and the International Center for AI Research and Ethics (ICAIRE), and in coordination with the National Commission for Education, Culture and Science. The forum brings together ministers from UNESCO member states, policymakers, experts, researchers, academics, and representatives of governments and international organizations. In his inaugural speech, Alghamdi said the Kingdom recognized at an early stage that addressing AI goes beyond adopting new technologies. It requires building an integrated national ecosystem encompassing institutions, regulatory frameworks, human and technical capabilities, and international partnerships. He said the Saudi leadership took a forward-looking approach to institutionalizing data and AI activities at the national level, exemplified by the establishment of SDAIA in 2019. Its Board of Directors is chaired by Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman.Alghamdi added that this institutional framework was extended to the international level through the establishment of ICAIRE in Riyadh in 2022. The center subsequently came under the auspices of UNESCO and works to support research, develop policies, build capabilities, enhance international cooperation, and translate AI ethics principles into practical tools and practices. The SDAIA chief noted that the Kingdom adopted the Personal Data Protection Law in 2021 to strengthen the protection of individuals' privacy and rights. This was accompanied by an integrated system of national data governance policies and controls governing the classification, sharing, availability, protection, and use of data. Alghamdi stated that the Kingdom launched its AI Ethics Principles in 2022 in line with the UNESCO Recommendation. The principles reinforce fairness, privacy, security, safety, transparency, and accountability in the development and use of AI systems. He also noted that the Kingdom has invested extensively in building human capabilities, from spreading basic knowledge and identifying talent to providing academic and professional training and developing specialized expertise. Through the national "SMAI" initiative, more than one million beneficiaries have been trained in the fundamentals of artificial intelligence, he said. **media[2766136]** In her speech, UNESCO Deputy Director General Åsa Regnér expressed her gratitude to Saudi Arabia for hosting and organizing the forum, noting the particular importance of the organization's partnership with the Kingdom. She revealed that Saudi Arabia completed UNESCO's Readiness Assessment Methodology (RAM) process last year. Regnér called for greater use of women's capabilities and talents in AI, saying: "We know from university data that young women achieve significant academic success. They represent a strong pool of intellectual capacity and talent, but these capabilities are not always fully utilized in the labor market or in AI-related decision-making." The forum's panel discussions bring together ministers from UNESCO member states, policymakers, experts, and specialists. They address AI ethics and governance, ways to translate principles into practical measures that support the responsible development and use of AI technologies, and efforts to strengthen international cooperation in addressing AI-related challenges and maximizing AI's impact in serving people and society.More than 1,200 participants and over 100 speakers are taking part in more than 30 sessions and workshops of the three-day forum.