SDAIA Highlights Importance Of AI Ethics In Urban Planning At Barcelona Conference

The Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) highlighted its commitment to enhancing global cooperation on AI ethics at the International Conference and Exhibition on Smart Cities in Barcelona, Spain. The event, which ends on Thursday, featured over 600 speakers from more than 850 cities across 130 countries. Dr. Abdulrahman Habib, Deputy Chief Officer Strategy at SDAIA, discussed the importance of ethical AI adoption in urban planning.

During a session titled "AI Ethics in Urban Planning," Dr. Habib emphasized Saudi Arabia's initiatives in this area. He announced the establishment of the International Center for AI Ethics and Research (ICAIRE) in collaboration with UNESCO. This center, approved by the Saudi Cabinet and based in Riyadh, is classified as a Category 2 Center under UNESCO's sponsorship.

The SDAIA booth attracted many visitors at the conference, showcasing digital services and innovations for smart cities. A key highlight was the Saudi Private Network for Government Integration (SPINE) initiative. This project aims to create an extensive network system for virtual connections with the National Information Center.

The SPINE initiative seeks to connect over 300 government agencies to facilitate data and service exchange. It aims to standardize integration processes, reduce costs, and ensure secure data exchanges. Additionally, it supports AI, smart cities, and IoT services while enhancing operational robustness through real-time performance monitoring.

Another significant feature at SDAIA's booth was the TALEEM platform. This intelligent learning management system uses the "ALLaM" model to provide personalized educational experiences. It aligns with Saudi Arabia's national curriculum to cater to students' unique learning styles effectively.

TALEEM enhances education by tailoring learning outcomes according to individual needs. It offers a customized approach that helps students learn more efficiently by adapting to their preferred methods of study.

Building National Capabilities

SDAIA also presented other initiatives like the Smart Cities Accelerator (T5), National Charity Platform (Ihsan), and SDAIA Academy. The academy focuses on developing national capabilities in data and AI fields through various programs and activities.

The academy collaborates with local, regional, and global leaders to nurture human capital. It aims to build high-efficiency national capabilities and prepare individuals for future professions in data and AI sectors.

The conference provided a platform for sharing experiences from diverse cities worldwide while emphasizing ethical AI practices in urban development. SDAIA's participation underscored Saudi Arabia's dedication to advancing smart city technologies responsibly.

With inputs from SPA