Riyadh invites 194 countries to attend UNESCO's Global Forum on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence - Sarmad

Riyadh has invited 194 countries to attend the fourth edition of the UNESCO Global Forum on AI Ethics, scheduled from September 14 to 17 next year.

This hosting underscores Saudi Arabia’s pivotal role in shaping the future agenda of artificial intelligence, highlighting the urgent need to address pressing ethical issues, foremost among them transparency in algorithmic decision-making, preventing the monopolization of this advanced technology by specific countries, and facilitating access to AI technologies for developing societies.

The forum will feature high-level participation, including technology ministers, policymakers, and leaders of the world’s largest technology companies, alongside a select group of academics and international experts. The forum is expected to propose a package of practical and strategic solutions to bridge ethical gaps, including the development of binding frameworks for assessing the ethical impact of algorithms and establishing independent regulatory bodies to audit and prevent algorithmic bias. Participants will also discuss formulating international mechanisms to ensure digital equity, by transferring knowledge and AI technologies to developing countries at balanced prices and costs, while adopting global standards to protect privacy and personal data, and developing multilingual AI models that promote awareness, cultural and linguistic diversity, and prevent cognitive marginalization in favor of specific cultures.

The forum aims primarily to translate theoretical principles into tangible, practical policies by implementing UNESCO’s recommendations on AI ethics and relying on readiness assessment tools and ethical evaluation frameworks for intelligent applications across various sectors.