Strategic Use of Artificial Intelligence to Serve Humanity
- Amira Al-Hassan: Modern technologies play a pivotal role in reshaping city economies and shaping the contours of urban development
- Al-Jawhara Al-Atishan: Saudi Arabia jumped to 46th place globally in the 2025 Innovation Index
- Walid Al-Khushaiti: “Zain” continues to develop its role as an integrated tech responder, offering advanced solutions in cloud computing
- Ashraf Mansour: Sustainable development is fundamentally based on knowledge, innovation, and technology to achieve more competitive and sustainable economies
The Seventh Gulf Virtual Conference, titled “Techno Innovation, Techno Entrepreneurship, and Techno Artificial Intelligence Toward Economic Diversification,” concluded its two-day proceedings, held under the patronage of Dr. Tariq Al-Jalahma, Minister of State for Youth and Sports. The event took place via the Zoom platform, featuring participation from over 100 local, Gulf, and international experts, leading figures, inventors, and 10 startups, and included 18 dialogue sessions.
Al-Hassan highlighted the importance of leveraging innovation and entrepreneurship in Kuwait and the Gulf region to transition toward a green, circular, and sustainable economy, while addressing growing climate challenges such as rising temperatures, drought, and resource depletion.
She emphasized that the real challenge lies in the strategic application of artificial intelligence to serve humanity, efficiently manage energy, water, and waste, improve infrastructure, and integrate all societal segments, including people with disabilities, to ensure the well-being and resilience of future communities.
For her part, Al-Jawhara Al-Atishan, Chairwoman of Sawahil Al-Jazira Media Company and Editor-in-Chief of Entrepreneurs Magazine, presented Saudi Arabia’s pioneering experience across the three conference pillars. She noted the Kingdom’s rise to 46th place globally in the 2025 Innovation Index, with Riyadh maintaining its top position in innovation ecosystem growth, alongside securing third place globally in the National Context for Entrepreneurship Index and first place in entrepreneurial finance. She also highlighted the Kingdom’s 14th global ranking in the Artificial Intelligence Index.
For his part, Dr. Firas Al-Hanandeh, President of Ajloun National University in Jordan, stated that innovation, entrepreneurship, and artificial intelligence have become key pillars in building knowledge-based economies better equipped for competitiveness and adaptability. He pointed out that the true value of technology is not measured solely by algorithmic advancement, but by its ability to solve real-world challenges, improve quality of life, and support institutional decision-making. He underscored the importance of building an integrated ecosystem involving universities, governments, and the private sector to translate scientific research into tangible economic and social impact.
Meanwhile, Dr. Ashraf Mansour Abdel Aziz, Secretary-General of the Arab Union for Sustainable Development and Environment in the Arab Republic of Egypt, stated that sustainable development is now fundamentally based on knowledge, innovation, and technology to achieve more competitive and sustainable economies. He noted that artificial intelligence has become a key partner in decision-making, improving resource management efficiency, and enhancing productive sectors. He clarified that the Arab Union is working to support scientific research, promote a culture of entrepreneurship, and empower youth as the driving force of the knowledge economy. He also called for strengthening Arab cooperation and knowledge exchange to establish legislative and ethical frameworks ensuring the responsible use of modern technologies.
In a speech that emphasized the human and educational dimensions, Dr. Shafee Al-Nuaidi, a human development and family relations expert from the United Arab Emirates, noted that the real challenge in the face of rapid technological advancement does not lie in owning devices and applications, but rather in how we think about technology and its purpose—shifting from mere consumption to creating solutions and value. Al-Nuaidi stressed that building an entrepreneurial personality begins within the family, as the primary environment for nurturing children’s curiosity and self-confidence, training them in critical thinking, and teaching them to transform challenges into opportunities without losing their values and humanity.
Salem bin Suwailim bin Salem Al-Hinai, Director of the Regional Office for the Middle East at the International Organization for the Protection of Heritage in the Sultanate of Oman, outlined the role of modern technology and artificial intelligence in preserving and documenting human heritage for transmission to future generations. He affirmed that safeguarding national identity is inseparable from the journey of innovation and the transition toward a knowledge-based economy.
On the economic front, Ahmed Sabah Al-Saloum, Member of Parliament and Chairman of the Financial and Economic Affairs Committee at the National Assembly of the Kingdom of Bahrain, emphasized that economic diversification in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries is no longer limited to diversifying traditional income sources. Instead, it is now linked to the ability to build a knowledge-based economy and leverage modern technologies and artificial intelligence to transform innovative ideas into projects with added value.
Al-Saloum clarified that the conference’s pillars form an integrated system requiring coordinated efforts among governments, legislative authorities, the private sector, and academic institutions to provide a stimulating legal and regulatory environment, a financing and support framework for entrepreneurs, and investment in human capital and digital infrastructure. He also stressed that GCC cooperation and the exchange of expertise represent a strategic necessity for consolidating the region’s position as a regional hub for innovation.
For his part, Waleed Al-Kheshati, Chief Executive Officer of Relations and Communications at Zain Kuwait, affirmed that digital transformation, from the perspective of the telecommunications sector and digital empowerment, relies on building an integrated system that combines digital infrastructure with distinguished human resources, an innovation-friendly environment, and public-private partnerships.
