Saudi Arabia Highlights Commitment To AI Ethics At UNESCO Executive Board Session

Saudi Arabia recently took part in the 220th session of UNESCO's Executive Board, which wrapped up its meetings in Paris. The Kingdom was represented by its Permanent Delegation to UNESCO and the Saudi National Commission for Education, Culture, and Science. Various national entities also participated. Leading the delegation was Saudi Ambassador to France and Monaco, Fahad bin Mayouf Al-Ruwaili, who serves as the Kingdom’s permanent representative to UNESCO.

The Saudi delegation engaged in numerous agenda items during the session. They highlighted Saudi Arabia's commitment to leading in artificial intelligence (AI) for humanity's benefit. The Kingdom is among the first to adopt UNESCO's Ethics of Artificial Intelligence and advocates for their implementation to achieve sustainable development goals (SDGs) nationally.

Saudi Arabia spearheads regional efforts by hosting the International Center for Artificial Intelligence Research and Ethics (ICAIRE). The Kingdom promotes these ethics globally, aiming to achieve SDGs through collaboration with international partners. Discussions around AI were enriched by a draft resolution concerning ICAIRE.

The delegation also attended a meeting of national commissions on the sidelines of the Executive Board session. Several resolutions were issued, addressing procedural, substantive, financial, and administrative matters on its agenda.

As a founding member of UNESCO, Saudi Arabia has consistently progressed and formed strategic partnerships within the organization. The Kingdom was selected to lead an Open-Ended Working Group focused on achieving balance for the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Additionally, Saudi Arabia holds membership in UNESCO's Executive Board. This underscores its significant role in decision-making within the organization.

The Kingdom's active participation in these activities reflects its dedication to advancing global education, culture, and science initiatives through collaboration with international bodies like UNESCO.

With inputs from SPA