The Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), in collaboration with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), announced the classification of the International Centre for Research and Ethics in Artificial Intelligence (ICAIRE) as a Category 2 (C2) centre under UNESCO's auspices.
The announcement was made during the third edition of the Global AI Summit, held at the King Abdulaziz International Conference Centre in Riyadh.
Mission of harnessing AI
The classification underscores the pivotal role of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in advancing international and regional co-operation in AI policies, ethics, and research. It also highlights the Kingdom's commitment to supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2030.
This recognition affirms the Kingdom's dedication to supporting the global mission of harnessing AI for the benefit of humanity, with a focus on developing countries. It also enhances the Kingdom's role in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Global initiatives in AI
UNESCO partook in talks on enhancing AI's role in supporting the Sustainable Development Goals
Since its inception two years ago, ICAIRE has been actively involved in regional and global initiatives in AI. This includes supporting AI research and development, promoting awareness of AI ethics, coordinating policy development related to AI, and supporting capacity-building efforts in the field.
At the Global AI Summit, ICAIRE organised an interactive session in collaboration with the International Centre for Research in Artificial Intelligence (IRCAI) and the International Centre for Artificial Intelligence (AI Movement). Representatives from the three UNESCO Category 2 Centres (C2C) and UNESCO itself participated in discussions on enhancing AI's role in supporting the Sustainable Development Goals, reviewing ethical standards, and UNESCO's efforts in this area.
UNESCO's recommendations
Notably, Saudi Arabia was an early adopter of UNESCO's recommendations on AI ethics, endorsed by 193 countries in November 2021. SDAIA presented the principles of AI ethics at the second edition of the Global AI Summit in September 2022.
The decision to classify ICAIRE as a Category 2 Centre (C2C) followed a Cabinet decision on July 25, 2023, approving the establishment of the International Centre for Research and Ethics in Artificial Intelligence to be headquarter in Riyadh, where it will operate with legal personality and financial and administrative independence.
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