SDAIA Highlights Saudi Arabia's Commitment To AI Capacity Building At UN General Assembly Session

The Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) participated in a dialogue session focused on advancing AI capabilities. This event took place alongside the 79th session of the UN General Assembly in New York. During this session, Rehab Alarfaj, SDAIA's General Manager of Strategic Partnerships, highlighted Saudi Arabia's efforts in data and AI, particularly in developing national human resources and contributing globally.

Alarfaj emphasised that SDAIA's initiatives align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, especially the fourth goal concerning quality education. To support this goal, Saudi Arabia organised the National Olympiad for Programming and AI (ATHKA Olympiad), engaging over 260,000 middle and high school students. Additionally, SDAIA hosted the first International AI Olympiad in collaboration with ICAIRE and UNESCO's International Research Center on Artificial Intelligence, involving participants from 25 countries.

The Kingdom's efforts also resonate with the fifth UN Sustainable Development Goal, which addresses gender equality. As part of this commitment, SDAIA launched the Elevate program to train over 25,000 women worldwide in AI. Alarfaj stated that capacity building through training is crucial for raising awareness among policymakers and professionals about data and AI.

She stressed the importance of adopting ethical practices in AI usage, noting that Saudi Arabia was among the first to embrace these principles. The Kingdom's initiatives in data and AI have gained international recognition. For instance, SDAIA's National Data Bank facilitates domestic data sharing, while Estishraf, an AI-driven platform aiding government decision-making, received accolades at the 2024 WSIS Prizes.

ICAIRE is actively involved in regional and global initiatives related to AI. These include supporting research and development in AI, promoting awareness about AI ethics, fostering cooperation in policy development related to AI, and bolstering capacity-building efforts worldwide. Alarfaj highlighted these contributions during her presentation at the UN General Assembly session.

Alarfaj concluded by underscoring that building capacity through training programs is vital for providing technical assistance to developing countries. She reiterated the significance of adhering to ethical standards in AI use. The Kingdom’s proactive approach has positioned it as a leader in embracing ethical guidelines for artificial intelligence.

With inputs from SPA