WSIS Forum 2026
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ENFR

The Future of AI in Saudi Arabia: Innovation, Trust, and Partnership

5 speakers
Summary

This session addressed innovation, trust, and partnership, bringing together representatives from Saudi Arabia's key AI institutions to present the Kingdom's national approach to AI development and governance .

Ms Aljohara Althenyan of the Saudi Data and AI Authority (SDAIA) outlined Saudi Arabia's major AI milestones, including training over one million Saudis through AI capacity-building programmes , establishing a sovereign Arabic large language model (Alam) , and achieving fifth place globally in the Global AI Index . She described SDAIA's three-pillar structure covering regulation, operations, and innovation , and highlighted a regulatory framework built on risk-proportionate, ethics-driven, and internationally collaborative principles . Key governance instruments include the National AI Ethics Principles, the National AI Adoption Framework, and generative AI guidelines for both public and government use . Saudi Arabia has also introduced AI ethics badges for the private sector and established over 300 data management offices alongside 145 AI officers across government entities .

Dr. Majed Alshehri introduced ICARE (International Centre for AI Research and Ethics), a UNESCO Category 2 centre co-established by SDAIA and UNESCO to serve as a global lighthouse for AI ethics . ICARE's priorities include awareness, policy recommendations, capacity building, and research . Notable initiatives include an international women-in-AI programme that has trained 6,000 women , a multilingual AI glossary , and a forthcoming master's blueprint in AI ethics developed with a network of universities .

Dr. Tahira Hoke of Prince Sultan University illustrated how Saudi universities translate national AI strategy into education and research, noting that over 90% of PSU graduates receive employment offers during co-op programmes and that more than 50 researchers are recognised among the world's top 2% of scientists . She emphasised that universities, government, and industry collaborate through a robust ecosystem supported by initiatives such as LEAP and the Global AI Summit .

The session concluded with audience questions on youth engagement with AI, startup opportunities, and participation in upcoming conferences, including the fourth UNESCO Global Forum on the Ethics of AI to be held in Riyadh in September 2026 , underscoring Saudi Arabia's ambition to be a dependable international partner in navigating the global AI transition .

Keypoints

  • Overall Purpose

  • The discussion aims to showcase Saudi Arabia's comprehensive approach to AI development by highlighting the Kingdom's progress across three interconnected pillars: innovation, trust, and partnership. The presentations collectively demonstrate how Saudi Arabia has moved from AI ambition to practical implementation through national strategy, ethical governance, research institutions, and university-level talent development.
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  • Major Discussion Points

  • Saudi Arabia's national AI strategy and institutional framework: Saudi Arabia established the Saudi Data and AI Authority (SADAIA) in 2019, ahead of the generative AI boom, and launched a National Strategy for Data and AI in 2020. SADAIA operates through three arms - the National Data Management Office, the National Information Centre, and the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence - to cover regulation, operations, and innovation respectively. The kingdom has since been ranked fifth globally and first in the Arab world on the Global AI Index, third globally in notable AI models per Stanford's AI Index, and sixth globally in governance per the Oxford AI Government Readiness Index. - AI ethics, governance, and responsible deployment: Saudi Arabia has developed more than ten regulatory instruments to ensure ethical and responsible AI use, guided by principles of fairness, privacy, safety, transparency, and accountability, derived from UNESCO and OECD frameworks. Tools such as the National AI Adoption Framework, Generative AI guidelines, AI Ethics Badges for the private sector, and the National AI Index for public sector entities have been introduced to embed governance across both government and industry. The Kingdom has also adopted a Personal Data Protection Law alongside data sharing, classification, and open data policies. - ICARE as a global centre for AI ethics research: The International Centre for AI Research and Ethics (ICARE), established as a UNESCO Category 2 Centre through a joint agreement between SADAIA and UNESCO, aims to become a global lighthouse for AI ethics. Its priorities include AI awareness, policy recommendations, capacity building, and research and development. Key initiatives include an online platform with a multilingual AI glossary, an international women-in-AI programme called Elevate (which has trained 6,000 women), a forthcoming podcast, and a Master of AI Ethics blueprint being developed with a network of universities.
  • Workforce development and AI capacity building: Saudi Arabia has trained over one million citizens in AI through the SMAI (1 Million Saudis for AI) programme, launched in 2024, with a second cohort now reaching 1.3 million trained individuals. Universities such as Prince Sultan University have signed MOUs with SADAIA to strengthen AI education, professional training, and workshop development, ensuring that AI enhances rather than replaces critical thinking and ethical judgement. The Kingdom has also been ranked first globally for women surpassing men in AI skills. - International collaboration and global AI leadership: Saudi Arabia actively participates in shaping global AI governance through membership in the UN AI Advisory Body, early adoption of UNESCO's AI ethics recommendations, partnership with the OECD on trustworthy AI and incident monitoring, and collaboration with ITU on AI readiness. Regional leadership is also demonstrated through the Riyadh Charter for AI in the Islamic World, developed with the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation. The kingdom will host the fourth UNESCO Global Forum on the Ethics of AI in Riyadh in September 2026, co-organised by UNESCO, SADAIA, and ICARE.
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  • Overall Tone

  • The overall tone of the discussion is confident, celebratory, and collaborative. From the outset, speakers adopt a substantive register, presenting Saudi Arabia's AI achievements with pride while grounding claims in specific indices, programmes, and institutional milestones. The tone remains consistently optimistic and forward-looking throughout, with presenters framing AI not as a threat but as an opportunity to be guided responsibly. Dr. Tahira Hoke introduces a slightly warmer, more personal and anecdotal tone - sharing her own story of settling in Saudi Arabia - which adds a human dimension to the otherwise policy-focused presentations. During the audience Q&A, the tone becomes more conversational and inviting, with panellists actively encouraging international participation in upcoming conferences and programmes. The discussion maintains an encouraging and inclusive atmosphere throughout, positioning Saudi Arabia as a willing and open partner to the global AI community.
Speakers Overview
MR
Mr. Rakan AlSulaim
117 wpm · 6 min
MA
Ms. Aljohara Althenyan
156 wpm · 13 min
DM
Dr. Majed Alshehri
137 wpm · 11 min
DT
Dr. Tahira Hoke
146 wpm · 17 min
A
Audience
130 wpm · 5 min

Expanded Summary: The Future of Artificial Intelligence in Saudi Arabia - Innovation, Trust, and Partnership

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Session Overview and Framing

This session, convened at the WSIS Forum under the theme of innovation, trust, and partnership, brought together representatives from three of Saudi Arabia's principal AI institutions to present the Kingdom's comprehensive national approach to artificial intelligence development and governance . The session was chaired by Mr Rakan AlSulaim of the Communications Space and Technology Commission (CST), who opened by situating AI within the broadest possible context, noting that "artificial intelligence is reshaping economies, public services, and the way society creates opportunity" . He framed Saudi Arabia's relationship with AI not merely as a technology to be adopted but as a tool to be deployed with responsibility and in partnership with the world . Crucially, he announced that 2026 has been designated as the Year of Artificial Intelligence in the Kingdom, signalling the centrality of AI to national priorities .

Mr AlSulaim organised the session around three interconnected ideas: innovation, through investment in advanced digital infrastructure, expanded data centre capacity, and increased government spending on emerging technologies ; trust, through national frameworks for AI governance and ethics and contributions to international safety standards ; and partnership, on the basis that "no country, institution or sector can build a future of AI alone" . These three themes were then explored in depth by the three institutional speakers, each representing a distinct pillar of the national AI ecosystem.

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Saudi Arabia's National AI Strategy and Institutional Architecture

Ms Aljohara Althenyan, Competitiveness Officer at the Saudi Data and AI Authority (SDAIA), delivered the first substantive presentation, opening with a reframing of what AI leadership actually requires. She argued that "AI leadership is not only about technology. It is about vision. It is about governance, talent, infrastructure, and trust," and that countries succeeding in AI would be those capable of turning ambition into practical capabilities while ensuring innovation remains "responsible, inclusive, aligned with human rights" . This multidimensional framing set the intellectual tone for the entire session.

Ms Althenyan described how Saudi Arabia had demonstrated early institutional foresight by establishing SDAIA in 2019, prior to the generative AI boom, as the central authority overseeing data and AI across the Kingdom . SDAIA operates through three arms: the National Data Management Office (NDMO), which serves as the regulation and governance arm; the National Information Centre, which handles operations and development; and the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence, which leads innovation, enablement, and research . Building on this foundation, the Kingdom launched its National Strategy for Data and AI in 2020, with the explicit aim of accelerating national transformation and positioning Saudi Arabia among the leading AI nations globally .

The results of this early investment are reflected in a series of notable international rankings. Saudi Arabia is currently ranked fifth globally and first in the Arab world according to the Global AI Index, third globally in notable AI models according to Stanford's AI Index, and sixth globally in governance according to the Oxford AI Government Readiness Index . The Kingdom is also ranked third globally in the OECD AI Policy Navigator, with more than 65 AI policies listed on the navigator . Among the most distinctive achievements highlighted was Saudi Arabia's ranking first globally in the category where women surpass men in AI skills , and the development of Alam, the Kingdom's sovereign Arabic large language model, currently ranked second globally as the best generative language model in Arabic . Saudi Arabia is also a key global player in international AI cooperation, most prominently through its membership of the UN AI Advisory Body and its leadership of the AI governance subgroup within that body .

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AI Governance, Ethics, and Regulatory Frameworks

Ms Althenyan described Saudi Arabia's regulatory approach as built on four guiding principles: risk-proportionate and adaptive; innovation-friendly and competitive; ethical and industry-growth focused; and internationally collaborative and locally relevant . To operationalise these principles, SDAIA has launched more than ten governance instruments to ensure the ethical and responsible deployment and use of AI across the Kingdom . The most prominent of these is the National AI Ethics Principles, which are derived from the UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of AI and the OECD AI Principles, and which cover seven core values: fairness, privacy and security, humanity, social and environmental benefits, safety, transparency and explainability, and accountability . The National AI Ethics Principles were also described as an "OSIS's winner" - the full form of this acronym is unclear from the transcript. Additional instruments include the National AI Adoption Framework and generative AI guidelines for both the public and government sectors .

To accelerate adoption within government, SDAIA has established AI and data offices across national government entities, with more than 300 data management offices and 145 AI officers now in place . To guide policy and track national readiness, SDAIA introduced the National AI Index - described as a WSIS champion nominee and as an innovative approach to public sector governance - which evaluates national performance across seven pillars: strategy, governance, infrastructure, human capabilities, data, applications, and impact, and classifies the maturity level of government entities from absence to leading . Cohort One of the index was finalised in 2025, with the 2026 edition to be launched shortly .

For the private sector, SDAIA introduced AI Ethics Badges, derived from the National AI Ethics Principles, through which companies are assessed against a set of criteria and accredited at five levels: aware, adoptive, confirmative, assured, and visionary . On data governance, the Kingdom has adopted a Personal Data Protection Law alongside a data sharing policy, a data classification policy, and an open data policy, all designed to enhance transparency and strengthen data protection .

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Supporting the AI Ecosystem: Startups, Accelerators, and Workforce Development

Ms Althenyan outlined a range of initiatives designed to enable sustainable AI growth. To empower entrepreneurs and startups, the Kingdom launched the Generative AI Accelerator (GAYA), which aims to create more than 50 emerging companies - including 19 Saudi and 31 foreign firms - with a budget exceeding 600 million riyals . The flagship initiative, AIM, aims to build 100 high-quality AI companies with a one billion riyal budget allocated for the purpose . The Kingdom also launched the Rwad programme to empower startups, complementing these larger accelerator initiatives.

Workforce development is equally central to the national strategy. The SMAI programme - "1 Million Saudis for AI" - was launched in 2024 and has now trained 1.3 million Saudis in AI across two cohorts . The Sediya Academy continuously delivers training programmes, hackathons, artathons, and similar capacity-building activities . These efforts are complemented by the Kingdom's ranking first globally for women surpassing men in AI skills , reflecting a commitment to inclusive talent development that runs throughout the national strategy.

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International Collaboration and Global AI Governance

Ms Althenyan devoted considerable attention to Saudi Arabia's role in shaping global AI governance. On the UN dimension, the Kingdom hosted the original consultation session in 2020 that shaped the proposal for creating the UN AI Advisory Body, subsequently joined as a member, and in 2024 hosted the largest consultation session of its kind on the advisory body's report "Governing AI for Humanity," one of whose recommendations was the establishment of the Global Dialogue for AI . With UNESCO, Saudi Arabia was one of the first adopters of the Recommendation on the Ethics of AI and one of the first ten countries to complete the Readiness Assessment Methodology (RAM) . The Kingdom also established ICARE as a UNESCO Category 2 Centre .

With the OECD, Saudi Arabia has partnered on trustworthy AI and on the OECD AI Incident Monitoring Observatory, which now includes monitoring in Arabic and the MENA region . With the World Bank, the Kingdom has partnered through the Digital Development Partnership to promote AI inclusion and cooperation with other countries . With the ITU, Saudi Arabia has led AI readiness work since 2022, and at the time of the session was chairing AI readiness editing sessions and co-launching an AI readiness hackathon for universities . At the regional level, the Kingdom collaborated with the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation to develop the Riyadh Charter for AI in the Islamic World, incorporating cultural, religious, and linguistic dimensions of the region into AI governance .

Ms Althenyan concluded by announcing that the Kingdom will host the fourth edition of the UNESCO Global Forum on the Ethics of AI in Riyadh from 14 to 17 September, co-organised with UNESCO and in line with the Year of AI designation .

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ICARE: A Global Lighthouse for AI Ethics

Dr Majed Alshehri, Director of the International Centre for AI Research and Ethics (ICARE), provided a detailed account of the organisation's origins, mission, and current initiatives. He opened by asking the audience by show of hands whether they had heard of ICARE before the session, noting that only a few had - a detail he described as the reason for presenting at an introductory level. ICARE was established through a joint agreement between SDAIA and UNESCO, reflecting the Saudi government's ambition to expand its AI ethics initiatives globally through a partner that "shares the same values and can outreach globally with no borders" . Dr Alshehri described ICARE's overarching ambition as becoming "the lighthouse of AI globally" through initiatives, programmes, and partnerships .

ICARE's strategic priorities span four areas: awareness of the best use of AI; policy recommendations on how to make AI trustworthy and transparent; promoting capability building and reskilling; and research and development to define the future of AI . Dr Alshehri grounded this mission in a profound observation, citing the UN Secretary-General's warning that "today might be the last chance for human beings to make a decision for the terms of relationship between human intelligence and machine intelligence," and noting that "maybe in the future it will be already too late to make that decision" . This framing lent ICARE's work a sense of civilisational urgency, positioning it not merely as a policy body but as a participant in a defining moment for humanity.

Among ICARE's concrete initiatives, Dr Alshehri highlighted the CHI online platform, which hosts discussions, articles, and papers on AI, alongside a multilingual AI glossary covering Arabic, English, and French, described as a neutral reference written by ICARE and a network of researchers rather than by commercial interests . ICARE has also conducted numerous physical and online workshops on AI ethics and is preparing to launch its first podcast . In the area of capacity building, ICARE launched the Elevate programme for women in AI, through which 6,000 women have been trained, certified, and graduated, with plans for an expanded next cohort .

On policy, ICARE is working with UNESCO on the next phase of the Readiness Assessment Methodology (RAM2), which will be more dynamic and enable researchers globally to visualise and interact with country data . Dr Alshehri also described an initiative to develop a Master of AI Ethics blueprint in collaboration with a global network of universities, with the final blueprint expected to be announced in Riyadh in September . He explicitly invited university representatives in the audience to join the working group, which was meeting remotely over the coming weeks . He concluded by reaffirming ICARE's openness to partnerships, inviting like-minded organisations, centres, and governments to collaborate .

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Universities, Education, and the Human Dimension of AI

Dr Tahira Hoke, Aide to the President and Vice Dean of Quality Assurance and Development, Robotics and Internet of Things, Faculty, Research, and Sustainability at Prince Sultan University (PSU), delivered the final presentation, offering a perspective on how Saudi universities translate national AI strategy into education, research, and talent development. Originally from Los Angeles and having lived in Saudi Arabia for over 20 years, she began by noting that the Saudi AI ecosystem is so deeply integrated that "everything that's happening in CST, as well as in iCare and Sediya, are all affecting Prince Sultan University," and that her presentation was representative of what happens across Saudi universities more broadly .

Dr Hoke emphasised that Saudi Arabia's AI transformation "began with investment in people," with Vision 2030 programmes preparing professionals across healthcare, engineering, education, science, and other sectors . PSU signed a memorandum of understanding with SDAIA to strengthen AI education, professional training, and workshop development, with PSU students among those trained through the national SMAI programme . She noted that the university's strategic framework reflects national priorities through digital transformation, sustainability, and future academic initiatives including a forthcoming College of Medicine and College of Space and Aviation Sciences .

PSU has graduated more than 10,000 students, with more than 90% receiving employment offers during their seven-month co-op programmes before graduation, and 100% of programmes are locally or internationally accredited. The university operates more than 20 research labs and centres, with over 50 researchers recognised among the world's top 2% of scientists, spanning AI, autonomous systems, robotics, the Internet of Things, data science, sustainability, and human-centred technologies . PSU also partnered with McGraw-Hill to host a forum on AI and education, bringing together leaders from academia, industry, and government, with similar forums held at other Saudi universities including Alpaisa University and Kingstown University. Students have additionally participated in initiatives such as the Shell Eco Marathon, reflecting the university's commitment to applied, real-world learning.

A distinctive feature of Dr Hoke's presentation was her emphasis on the qualitative dimensions of AI education. As a psychologist working alongside engineers and computer scientists, she highlighted her particular interest in exploring "not only what AI can do, but also how it influences learning, cognitive development, emotional intelligence, and well-being" . She argued that "technology alone does not necessarily transform education. It takes dedicated educators, innovative researchers, engaged students, and agile institutions to ensure that innovations guided by ethical principles strengthen our communities and benefit future generations" . She was explicit that "our goal is not for AI to think for our students, but also to help students think more critically, solve more problems, and also use these technologies responsibly" . She called for universities to strengthen AI literacy, academic integrity, and ethical decision-making, supported by clear institutional policies and ongoing dialogue on responsible AI use, academic freedom, intellectual property, and privacy .

Dr Hoke also acknowledged risks that were largely absent from the earlier presentations, explicitly naming "misinformation, bias, over-dependence, and the erosion of human judgment" as concerns that must be addressed as AI becomes more deeply integrated into education . This candour provided an important counterbalance to the session's otherwise predominantly optimistic framing.

Dr Hoke described the broader Saudi university ecosystem as one in which universities, government, industry, and international organisations work together through initiatives such as LEAP - which includes DeepFest as a dedicated space for startups - the Global AI Summit, Black Hat, and international conferences . She noted that PSU is less than 15 minutes from the government AI bodies represented on the stage, and that this physical proximity facilitates rapid ecosystem integration . Upcoming international partnerships include the ninth Women in Data Science Conference in collaboration with Stanford University in the first week of September , and ISCOV 2026, co-organised with the United Nations University under the patronage of Saudi Arabia's Digital Government Authority .

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Audience Questions and Emerging Issues

The Q&A session surfaced several important themes that extended and, in some cases, challenged the presentations. An audience member from Women in Technology Nigeria, Martha Lade, asked about the venues and participation pathways for upcoming conferences, prompting Dr Alshehri to confirm that the fourth UNESCO Global Forum on the Ethics of AI would be held at the Ritz-Carlton in Riyadh from 14 to 17 September, with the website gfeai.icare.org already live .

Eric Gonzalez from Mexico City raised the question of at what age young generations begin engaging with AI and what the impact of social media on AI engagement might be . Dr Alshehri acknowledged this as a research question and confirmed that ICARE has youth as one of its priorities, but was candid in admitting that "as of today we haven't initiated any program for that but we are aiming for some programs in next year" . He described this as "an invisible area for many people, many families and parents," implicitly acknowledging a significant gap in the current ecosystem .

A social entrepreneur based in Dubai, Sanaz, asked how social enterprises could participate in and benefit from Saudi Arabia's AI ecosystem, noting the intersection of psychology, humanity, and technology as an underexplored opportunity . Ms Althenyan pointed to the AIM initiative and the National Technology Development Programme (NTDP) as relevant entry points , though the specific social enterprise dimension was not fully addressed.

An international consultant on digital regulations and international trade, Linda Qasim, intervened to highlight a dimension of Saudi Arabia's digital development that had not been covered in the presentations: the broader regulatory ecosystem for information technology, including market-opening laws and the space sector . She noted that Saudi Arabia "has been working on improving the laws and regulations that are related to the sector, opening the market for investors to come and invest," and highlighted the space sector as a particularly promising area, noting that she had personally contributed to the drafting of the regulations of the space sector . This intervention revealed that even within the Saudi delegation's own ecosystem, practitioners in regulatory fields felt their work was underrepresented in the presentations.

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Closing Remarks and Overall Assessment

Mr AlSulaim closed the session by summarising its central message: that what the audience had witnessed was "a single picture viewed from three angles, a kingdom building artificial intelligence and foundation of innovation, trust and partnership" . He affirmed that Saudi Arabia's ambition is "not only to advance AI within our own borders, but to be a dependable partner to international community as we navigate this transition together" .

The session demonstrated a high degree of internal coherence across the three institutional speakers, all of whom presented mutually reinforcing narratives grounded in the same national strategy. Key areas of consensus included the primacy of ethics and governance over technology alone ; the indispensability of partnership at all levels ; the centrality of human capital and capacity building ; the importance of women's inclusion in AI ; and the grounding of national policy in international frameworks such as UNESCO and OECD . The most notable internal divergence was between Ms Althenyan's emphasis on formal regulatory compliance and accelerated adoption, and Dr Hoke's more cautious, human-centred approach to AI in education - a difference in emphasis that reflected the distinct institutional perspectives of governance authority and university, respectively .

The session also surfaced genuine gaps in the current ecosystem, most notably around youth AI engagement , social enterprise inclusion , and the broader ICT regulatory environment . These unresolved issues, alongside the ambitious programme of forthcoming initiatives - including the UNESCO Global Forum, the Master of AI Ethics blueprint, RAM2, and the Elevate programme's next cohort - suggest that Saudi Arabia's AI ecosystem, while impressive in scope and strategic coherence, remains a work in progress, with significant opportunities for international collaboration and continued development.

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Mr. Rakan AlSulaim
and thank you for joining us. On behalf of Communications Space and Technology Commission, it's my pleasure to welcome all of you today on this session, insightful session. It's about the future of artificial intelligence in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, innovation, trust, and partnership. Today's session brings together three Saudi institutions representing the key pillars of national AI ecosystem, strategy and governance, infrastructure and deployment, and research and talent. Artificial intelligence is reshaping economies, public services, and the way society creates opportunity. In Saudi Arabia, we view AI not only as a technology to be adopted, but as a tool to be used. It has international capabilities to be built with responsibility. and partnership with the world. 2026 has been designated as the year of artificial intelligence in the kingdom, a signal of where our priorities lie. Today's session is organized around three ideas. Capture the approach. The first, innovation. The kingdom has moved from ambition to implementation by investing in advanced digital infrastructure, expanding data center capacity, increase government spending on emerging technology, and support fast -growing AI sector. The second is trust. AI progress must be guided by responsibility. Saudi Arabia has invested in national frameworks for AI governance and ethics while contributing to international discussion. On AI safety, we have a strong commitment to the future of AI. Standards and Responsible Use The third is Partnership No country, institution or sector can build a future of AI alone Saudi Arabia's progress is driven by collaboration across government, the private sector, academia and international partners Forum -like quizzes where that partnership takes place Today's presentation will bring these three themes to life through Saudi Arabia experience Our first presentation explores Saudi Arabia's approach to responsible AI bringing together governments, ethics, human capabilities and global collaboration To share Saudi Arabia experience, it's my pleasure to welcome Al -Johar Athnayan, Competitiveness Officer at The Saudi Arabia Global Forum The Saudi Data and AI Authority, Sadiya alongside Dr. Majid Al -Shahri, Director of the International Center for AI Research and Ethics, ICARE. Please join me in welcoming Al -Juhara, Hathnian, and Dr. Majid Al -Shahri.
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Ms. Aljohara Althenyan
Thank you, Rakan. Good afternoon, everyone, distinguished guests and colleagues. It is a pleasure to be here with you today and to have the opportunity to discuss one of the most transformative technologies of our time. AI is becoming one of the defining forces of our time. It is reshaping economies, transforming public services, and changing the way nations plan for the future. But AI leadership is not only about technology. It is about vision. It is about governance, talent, infrastructure, and trust. Countries that succeed in AI will be those that can turn ambition into practical capabilities while ensuring that innovation remains responsible, inclusive, aligned with humans. rights. Today, I will speak about how Saudi Arabia is approaching this opportunity by building national capabilities, strengthening governance, and enabling adoption, and contributing to the international dialogue and the future of AI. So with that, allow me to begin with my presentation. So at the heart of this future lies artificial intelligence. We have achieved major milestones throughout these years, one of them being that we have trained more than one million Saudis in AI capacity -building programs. We have established the first international center on AI ethics and research. We have achieved the position of third globally after USA and UK in the OECD AI Policy Navigator. We have been ranked first globally where women surpass men in AI skills are ranked first. We have been ranked first in the OECD AI Policy Navigator. We have been ranked first in the OECD AI Policy Navigator. We have been ranked first in the OECD AI Policy Navigator. We have been ranked first in the OECD AI Policy Navigator. We have been ranked first in the OECD AI Policy Navigator. We have been ranked first in the OECD AI Policy Navigator. We have been ranked first in the OECD AI Policy Navigator. We have We have additionally established Alam, which is our sovereign Arabic LLM, which is currently ranked second globally as best generative language model in Arabic. Additionally, we are a key global player when it comes to international cooperation, most prominently our membership in the UN AI advisory body and leading the AI governance subgroup within that body. So, some of the key performances in global indices are the Kingdoms currently ranked as fifth globally and first in the Arab world, according to the Global AI Index. And it is recognized as third globally in notable AI models, according to Stanford's AI Index. Additionally, it is recognized as sixth globally in governance, according to the Oxford AI Government Readiness Index. So, to translate this vision, we have found four main themes. to translate the AI vision into reality. First is charting Saudi Arabia's AI ambition. So the Kingdom was ahead of its time. So prior to the Gen AI boom that was in 2020, the Kingdom established in 2019 the Saudi Data and AI Authority. So Sadiya has three main arms. The National Data Management Office which is called NDMO which is the regulation and governments arm of Sadiya. Additionally we have the National Information Center which is the operation and development arm of Sadiya. And lastly we have the National Center for Artificial Intelligence which is our innovation and enablement and research arm. To build on this foundation, we have launched the national strategy for data and AI back in 2020 with the aim to accelerate the Kingdom's transformation and position it among the leading nations in data and AI. And as you know, AI is the most advanced technology in the world. So we have developed a number of technologies that are already in use. And we have developed a number of technologies that are already in use. And we have developed a number of technologies that are already in use. And we have developed a number of technologies that are already in use. And we have developed a number of technologies that are already in use. And we have developed a number of and changing of the technology. So when it comes to regulation, the Kingdom's approach is based on three or four guiding principles. One that is risk -proportionate and adaptive, innovation -friendly and competitive, ethical and industry -growth focused, internationally collaborative, and locally relevant. We have launched more than 10 instruments to ensure the ethical and responsible deployment and use of AI in the Kingdom. Most prominently, we have the National AI Ethics Principle, which is actually OSIS's winner. It is derived from the UNESCO recommendation on the ethics of AI, as well as the OECD AI Principles. It has seven main principles, which are fairness, privacy, and security, humanity, social and environment benefits, safety, transparency, explainability, and accountability. Additionally, we have the National AI Ethics Principle, the National AI Adoption Framework, as well as the Gen AI guidelines for the public and for the governments. So in order to accelerate adoption in government entities, SEDAIA has established AI and data offices within national government entities. Currently, we have more than 300 data management offices, along with 145 AI officers across government entities. So to guide policy and track national redness among government entities, we have introduced the National AI Index, which is this year's WSIS champion nominee, actually. It is an innovative approach when it comes to public sector governance. So the index evaluates national performance across seven key pillars, from strategy, governance, infrastructure, human capabilities, data, applications, and data. It evaluates applications and impact, and thus then it classifies the maturity level of government entities from absence. to leading. And we've currently just finalized cohort one of the index actually back in 2025, and we will be launching 2026 soon. Additionally, to support private sector adoption, ethical adoption, we have introduced the AI ethics badges. So they are derived from the principles that I just previously mentioned, and there's a set of criteria that we provide private sector companies when to assess their models with it, and then they are accredited with badges from aware, adoptive, confirmative, assured, to visionary. And of course, data and AI go hand in hand. So to ensure effective data governance, some frameworks have been implemented to enhance transparency and strengthen data protection. Most prominently, the kingdom has adopted the personal data protection law, along with a number of policies, for example, the data sharing policy, data classification policy, and the open. data policy. So moving to enabling the foundations for sustainable AI growth to empower entrepreneurs and startups, the kingdom has launched a number of AI accelerators and programs. We have launched the generative AI accelerator, Gaya, which aims to create more than 50 emerging companies, including 19 companies from Saudis and 31 foreign companies, with a budget of more than 600 million rials. We have also launched the Rwad program to empower startups, and most prominently, our flagship program, which is AIM. The initiative aims to build 100 high -quality companies in the field of AI, with a 1 billion rial budget has been allocated for that initiative. The kingdom is very keen on developing a future -ready workforce by investing in AI capability training programs. So most prominently, we have our SMAI program, which is the 1 million Saudi for AI. We have launched it back in 2024 and have thus now trained 1 million Saudis in AI through national programs. And we have now launched cohort two of the program, Semi 2, and we have reached now 1 .3 million trained Saudis in AI. Alongside that, we have our national academy, Sediya Academy, which continuously launches training programs, hackathons, artathons, and such. And lastly, we are hoping to foster a global cooperation and shape the future of AI. So the Kingdom collaborates with leading international organizations to strengthen its global role and regional leadership. So with the UN, we are collaborating with them in matters of international AI governance. As I have mentioned, we are a member of the AI advisory body, but there's a story before that. Actually, in 2020, the Kingdom hosted the consultation session with VSC. Thank you. to shape the proposal for creating the advisory body itself, then later on joining as a member. And back in 2024, we had the largest consultation session of its kind on the advisory body's report governing AI for humanity, which one of its recommendations was actually establishing the global dialogue for AI, which we were all here yesterday for. Second, with the UNESCO, we are leading with them in matters of the global AI ethics. The Kingdom was one of the first adopters of the recommendations on the ethics of AI, and actually one of the first 10 countries to conclude its readiness assessment methodology, the RAM. And, of course, the Kingdom established the International Center for AI Research and Ethics, ICARE, which Dr. Majid will be hopefully telling you more about in a moment, and the Category 2 Center under the UNESCO. With the OECD, we are partnering with them in matters of trustworthy AI. So, as I have mentioned, we are currently ranked third globally in the OECD AI Policy Navigator with more than... and 65 AI policies related on the navigator. As well, we have partnered with them on the OECD AI Incident Monitoring Observatory, which is now including more monitoring in Arabic language and the MENA region as well. Additionally, we have partnered with the World Bank back in 2020 with the DDP -1 and currently with the Digital Development Partnership 2 .0 to ensure more inclusion when it comes to AI with self -cooperation with other countries. And with the ITU, we have led with them their AI readiness work from back in 2022, where we aunched the report, and then again in 2024 during the Global AI Summit here in Riyadh. And today we are joined here where the kingdom is chairing the AI readiness editing sessions, as well as we have launched with the ITU the AI readiness hackathon for universities. And lastly, when it comes to regional leadership, The Kingdom is collaborating with the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization in matters of including the cultural and religious and linguistic aspect of our region into AI. So thus we have launched the Riyadh Charter for AI in the Islamic World. And lastly, I would like to shed light that the Kingdom will be hosting the fourth edition of the Global Forum on the Ethics of AI in September from 14th to 17th. It is going to be with the UNESCO and it's going to be held in line with this year, which the Kingdom has designated as the Year of AI. So hopefully we can see all of you from here in the session in Riyadh in September. Thank you all for your time. Thank you so much.
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Dr. Majed Alshehri
Hi, everyone. Good afternoon. Thank you, Al -Juhra, for this great presentation. And thank you. Probably you have heard now about ICARE and the story behind it from the Saudi side. Now maybe I can highlight from the UNESCO side what happened. So ICARE stands for the International Center for AI Research and Ethics. As mentioned by Al -Juhara, it has been an initiative by the Saudi government to go beyond and expand their initiatives globally. And they found that the best partner to go with that effort is an agency that shares the same values and can outreach globally with no borders. Therefore, there has been a joint statement, a joint agreement between the two entities, the Saudi government represented by SEDAIA and the UNESCO represented by the former UNESCO member, the UNESCO member, the UNESCO member, the UNESCO member, and they signed this agreement on Riyadh to announce the birth of ICARE. Today, after a couple of years, iCare has been established And we have already gone through a few initiatives Some of them are globally recognized And the purpose for me today to be with you is to introduce iCare To those who haven't heard about it before And maybe by show of hands, you can tell me If you heard about iCare before the session Then probably I am at the right audience Only a few people have heard about it And this is the purpose for me to speak about iCare today So iCare stands for, as I mentioned, International Center for AI Ethics Or Research and Ethics And we are aiming to become the lighthouse of AI globally Through initiatives, programs, and partnerships Such as this event actually in the last couple of days That was an amazing gathering for me to speak with like -minded people, centers, organizations, governments as well, that we appreciate being here and sharing their latest priorities. This is how iCare should grow and shake hands and also build on the future initiatives. These are our top priorities. We focus on awareness of the best use of AI. We focus on policy recommendations on how we can make AI trustworthy and transparent. We're also focusing on promoting the capability building and how we can, as individuals, reskill, upskill, and get into the mood of using AI in things that matter. And finally, we also are working. We're working on research and development. to define what would be the future that we want to have for AI. And if you recognize from the speech of the SG of the UN, he has highlighted something very important for our generation when he said, today might be the last chance for the human beings to make a decision for the terms of relationship between human intelligence and machine intelligence. And that could be true, because maybe in the future it will be already too late to make that decision. Therefore, we are trying today to work with our partners to define these terms, to equip the people with the right skills they need to use, to develop, and also to utilize the power of AI in the future. I'm listing here some of the initiatives that we already have started. We kicked off. or planning to or maybe in progress, not necessarily planning to kick off. All of them are global intentions. So even if you notice it's targeting certain region or a country, that doesn't mean we'll stop there. But this is an example of what we have done so far, and we are open for future partnerships with like -minded partners. We are today calling for researchers to submit their proposals, abstracts for the Global Forum on AI Ethics that will be held in September this year in Riyadh, as mentioned by Al -Juhara. That event will be a partnership and co -organized by UNESCO, SEDAIA from Saudi Arabia, and ICARE. And today we are having a track for researchers. Researchers to bring their thoughts and write about our priorities. So that's one thing that's currently open for researchers. We have established the CHI. This is an online platform to accommodate for good discussions on AI, articles, papers, and also we have launched a unique glossary. It's a dictionary that supports the terms in AI. We started with three languages, Arabic, English, French, and we are open to add more languages. And this is maybe an opportunity for us to come with a unified glossary covering all the languages on what is AI and what's the important terms in AI to be defined. This is a neutral glossary. It's not targeting what companies believe should be written there. It's written by us in iCare and also a network of researchers that we have already partnered with. with. On the AI ethics awareness and outreach, we have conducted many workshops, physical and online, and we'll continue to do that in the coming few weeks. You are more than welcome to join our website and follow our LinkedIn and X accounts to see what's going on. And those workshops are around the topics of AI ethics. We are very soon launching our podcast. We have recorded the first episode last week. So that's something also that will be used to utilize the communication with different people and organizations. Also, in terms of capacity building, we have launched an international program for women in AI, and we called it Elevate. 6 ,000 women have been trained and certified and graduated from the program.
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Mr. Rakan AlSulaim
Research and we're going to be doing a lot of research and we're We are aiming for the next cohort, more numbers to come, more certificates and kind of tracks of educations to be offered through that platform. And also we are opening the efforts through challenges on the glossary on how to improve it. Today, Al -Juhara has mentioned the hackathon by ITU has been released. So we are part of that in terms of building the scope and inviting the right
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Dr. Majed Alshehri
eople to build the use cases that will be really feeding our future when it comes to new ideas for the glossary. Also on policy recommendations, we are working with the UNESCO on a very interesting readiness assessment methodology for countries. And the last one we have. We have organized a report submitted by 70 countries plus. through the UNESCO. So by looking at these reports, you will have a good understanding of what's happening in AI and how these countries are ready for the next wave of AI. Now we are working on the next phase, RAM2. That will be more dynamic. It will help researchers globally to understand the data, to play with the data and visualize it in a better way. And we're working on a few initiatives, one of them that's really of my interest. We are aiming to promote a master of AI ethics blueprint working with a network of universities to design that blueprint, giving the universities the chance to customize it the way they believe. However, we are working currently with a couple of universities, and if you are representing a university from anywhere, you are more than welcome to join that network. It will be for the next couple of weeks. working group and we are meeting remotely so you are more than welcome to join us and the final blueprint hopefully will be ready in September to be announced in Riyadh. So these are among some of the things that we are working on and we are open to more initiatives, programs. As of today we have connected with a couple of interesting partners, centers and even governments so I will conclude by that we are always open and available to partnerships and if you feel that this is part of what you want to do in the next couple of years then you are more than welcome to be one of the athletes for iCare. Thank you everyone.
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Mr. Rakan AlSulaim
Thank you Johra and Dr. Majid. For this valuable insights behind every strategy. and every deployment is a pipeline of knowledge and talent, university and researchers. Institutions are where that pipeline began. For our final presentation, it's my pleasure to invite BSU speaker, Dr. Tahira Hawke, aide to the president, vice dean of quality insurance and development, robotics and Internet of Things, faculty, research, and sustainability of Prince Sultan University, to share the work of their dedicated AI research center. Please, Dr. Tahira.
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Dr. Tahira Hoke
Thank you so much, Mr. Rackin, and thank you so much for my co -panelists for your excellent presentations. And I'd like to say before I begin, although most of us on this stage have never met them before, this ecosystem in Saudi Arabia. It's so strong that everything that's happening in CST, as well as in eye care and Sediya, are all affecting. Prince Sultan University. And what I share with you today is not isolated to Prince Sultan University. It's just a sample of what happens in Saudi Arabia for any university, including I have a colleague here from Qasim University who will be able to relate to what I'm going to present. So with that, good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, distinguished delegates, esteemed colleagues, and I want to highlight that it's a pleasure to join you as part of the Saudi delegation. Notably, just for clarity, I'm originally from Los Angeles, California, but I've had the pleasure of living in Saudi Arabia for over 20 years. My husband and I, we were just going to pass through Saudi Arabia, and then we fell in love with the country. And I'm sure if you join us and you visit Saudi Arabia, you'll fall in love too. Yes. And so as a psychologist in the room, I want to, first of all, just thank International Telecommunications Union, the WISIS Forum organizers. the Communication Space and Technology Commission, and Prince Wotan University for this opportunity to participate in this important discussion. Over the next few minutes, I'd like to share how Saudi universities are advancing innovation, building trust, strengthening partnerships in the age of artificial intelligence. In many sessions this week, I heard the word scary, and I think that's the most common word I hear when it comes down to artificial intelligence. But with the support of CST, Sadiya, iCare, our universities are guided on the best ways to use artificial intelligence. So while I'll use Prince Wotan University as one example, as I said, similar efforts are taking place across universities throughout the kingdom, and as we work together to advance Saudi Vision 2030, strengthen research, and and prepare future talent. It's really important. So with that, I want to highlight that, first of all, Saudi Arabia's AI transformation began with investment in people. And know that through several Vision 2030 realization programs, we call them, universities and industries are preparing future healthcare professionals, engineers, scientists, educators, entrepreneurs, public leaders, and even astronauts while supporting a knowledge-based economy and sustainable development. This national vision is strengthened through partnerships among universities, government, and industry. At Prince Sultan University, we recently signed a memorandum of understanding with SADAYA, our Saudi data and AI authority, to strengthen AI education, professional training, and workshop development. So the very millions that Al-Johar was talking, some of those millions are part of our very own students at Prince Sultan University. Our strategic framework also reflects these priorities through digital transformation, sustainability, future academic initiatives, including our future College of Medicine, as well as our future College of Space and Aviation Sciences. Across the kingdom, universities are preparing graduates with not only technical expertise, but also ethical judgment, critical thinking, skills needed to lead an AI-enabled world. As Dr. Majid highlighted, that we have this infrastructure and policies that are trying to guide the ethics along this advanced experience we're having. And with that, just know that we strongly believe. That quality is the foundation of innovation. And Prince William's High University has graduated more than 10,000 students as a private, small private university. And more than 90% of our students receive employment offers. during their seven-month co-op programs before they graduate. And 100% of our programs are also locally or internationally accredited. Again, the examples I'm sharing with you is not specific. just to Prince Lothar University, but to many universities in the kingdom. And so when it comes down to the national vision, we also know that it's really important to reflect on how it's strengthened through partnerships among universities and government industry. At Prince Lothar University, we signed a memorandum of understanding with Sadiya. And this particular, if you will, MOU is really to help us understand how AI is not to, if you will, it should enhance educational quality, not necessarily replace it. Our goal is not for AI to think for our students, but also to help students think more critically, solve more problems, and also use these technologies responsibly. As AI becomes more integrated into higher education, universities must strengthen AI. AI literacy, as well as academic integrity and ethical decision -making. This also requires clear institutional policies, thoughtful procedures, and ongoing dialogue with faculty, students, and researchers. about responsible AI use, academic freedom, intellectual property, privacy, and appropriate boundaries. So as we try to make sure that we prepare our students, we're trying to make sure that it takes, we know it takes more than just good academic programs, but we have to make sure that students are ready to grow. And in growing and, if well, cultivating their education and experience, we know that it takes engaging our students in educational extracurricular experiences that deepen their understanding of sustainability and innovation of strengthening their communication skills needed to collaborate as well as to share ideas and drive positive change. So to support this goal, we make sure that all of our students get sustainability education in every college. There's at least two courses. That actually teach about sustainability. And part of that is, of course, supported by our partnership. with various providers. We know that learning is also strengthened through collaboration. So recently, we actually partnered with McGraw -Hill to host a forum on artificial intelligence and education, bringing together leaders from academia, industry, and humane to explore how educators can best prepare students for an evolving workforce. And again, I'd just like to highlight that McGraw -Hill has these forums, not only at PSU, but other universities such as Alpaisa University, Kingstown University, etc. And so when it comes down to engaging with our students, we know that these conversations are translated into action. Our students are regularly recognized as top performers in prestigious competitions, including the Shell Echo Marathon, while actively participating in sustainability conferences and hackathons. These experiences transform classroom learning into practical solutions while strengthening creativity. collaboration, leadership, and responsible innovation. So I definitely hope that some of our students will be participating in the upcoming conferences at the end of this year. And we know that when it comes down to our education, that it's really important that we have our researchers involved with our students. I think for most higher education institutions, we recognize that if you have great researchers, it makes for a great university. But I think it's only if those great researchers have great conversations with students and engage with students. And so education prepares talent, but research transforms that knowledge into solutions. So across Saudi Arabia, universities are advancing artificial intelligence through interdisciplinary research, international collaboration, and innovations that support national priorities and sustainable development goals. At Prince Sultan University, we have more than 20 research labs. and centers, and over 50 researchers that have been recognized as part of the world's top 2 % of scientists. Our work spans artificial intelligence, also emerging autonomous systems, robotics, the Internet of Things, data science, sustainability, and human -centered technologies. As a psychologist working alongside engineers and computer scientists, I have the privilege of exploring not only what AI can do, but also how it influences learning, cognitive development, emotional intelligence, and well -being. So artificial intelligence expands our capabilities, but education develops the wisdom to use those capabilities responsibly. Research and education also come together through student engagement. Across Saudi Arabia, students participate in entrepreneurship programs, some of the programs that you heard of here on the stage today. sustainability initiatives, model United Nations conferences, AI -related projects, and other experiential learning opportunities that strengthen leadership, communication, problem -solving, and innovation while preparing them for the future workforce. As Mr. Rackham mentioned, none of this happens alone. It really takes efforts for us to make sure that no university can advance artificial alone. We know that we need the support from the government. We need the support from the various agencies and authorities that are involved. So Saudi Arabia truly has built an ecosystem where universities, government, and industry and international organizations work together through initiatives such as LEAP, the Global AI Summit, also with Times for Education, the Global Sustainable Development Congress, and many other international conferences. And I just want to highlight that in this ecosystem, again, our university is less than 15 minutes from the organizations that are on the stage now. And so Riyadh is a nice, large city, but we're also really close together. And so when it comes down to Prince Wotan University, we're proud to contribute to this ecosystem through international partnerships. These include our upcoming conferences, which also happen to be in September. We'll be having the Women in Data Science Conference in collaboration with Stanford University, notably it's the first week of September, as well as ISCOV 2026, which we are honored this year to organize with the United Nations University under the patronage of the Saudi Arabia's Digital Government Authority. So this year, we look forward to welcoming our colleagues from around the world to all of our conferences. And we'll be having a lot of fun. And we believe these partnerships strengthen education, expand research collaboration. advanced digital governance, very important conversations we're having this week, as well as accelerate innovation that no single institution could achieve alone. So as artificial intelligence becomes more deeply integrated into education and research, quality, ethics, and public trust become increasingly important. Throughout my career in psychology, quality assurance, and accreditation, I've learned that technology alone does not necessarily transform education. It takes dedicated educators, innovative researchers, engaged students, and agile institutions to ensure that innovations guided by ethical principles strengthen our communities and benefits future generations. As Saudi Arabia celebrates the year of AI, our focus is to prepare people not only to embrace AI's opportunities, but also to recognize its limitations and risks, including misinformation, bias, over -dependence, We are committed to making the world a better place for all. We are committed to making the world a better place for all. We are committed to making the world a better place for all. and the erosion of human judgment. So in conclusion, ladies and gentlemen, I warmly invite you to visit the Saudi booth to learn more about the kingdom's AI ecosystem and Prince Sultan Tsai University Center for Sustainability and Climate. We welcome opportunities to benchmark best practices, exchange ideas, develop future research partnerships. Together, through innovation, trust, and partnerships, we can ensure that artificial intelligence advances not only technology, but education, as well as our respective countries. Thank you very much.
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Mr. Rakan AlSulaim
Thank you, Dr. Tahira. And I see we have some time, so maybe we have a time for two questions. If you have any, please raise your hand. Yes, please.
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Audience
It's a serious question, but I'm really curious to know where the values of those conferences are. I just wanted to know the venue. I'm really inspired. First of all, thank you for the wonderful presentations. In fact, I'm really, really inspired. And I'm hearing a lot of new things and inspiring things taking place in your region. So, yes, my organization, my name is Martha Lade. I'm from Women in Technology in Nigeria. And we work with underserved communities, especially those that are marginalized, trying to ensure that their knowledge is imputed into the AI ecosystem for fairness. And not only that, we work with young women in the universities as well in Nigeria and outside Nigeria. So I wanted to know more about these conferences, where they are taking place, whether it's in Saudi Arabia, or outside Saudi Arabia. Thank you.
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Dr. Tahira Hoke
Thank you so much. Well, we have a few. I'll start with my colleagues on my left.
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Dr. Majed Alshehri
o if you allow me, I'll go to a slide that I did not elaborate on, but Al -Johra has gave some details. I'll put it on screen now. The fourth UNESCO Global Forum will take place on Riyadh in September 14 to 17. And we have already launched the website. It's gfeai .icare .org. You can go to the website. I'm not sure if the registration has opened yet, but maybe you can check it within a week or so. You'll be able to see the program. It's already, the program is already there in high level, but you'll see the speakers, you'll see the registration form, and you are more than welcome to visit the website.
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Dr. Tahira Hoke
And Dr. Majid, may I ask a secondary question? Which place exactly in Riyadh?
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Dr. Majed Alshehri
It would be Ritz -Carlton in Riyadh.
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Dr. Tahira Hoke
Right. And so I can be your cultural attache, ladies and gentlemen. Yes, I can tell you the Ritz Carlton, first of all, it's a fabulous hotel, as you know. And and the way they structured it is usually very well organized. The level or organization I see at the conferences in Riyadh is unmatched, I have to say. So with that, you'll definitely have an enjoyable experience. If you come to any conference, we have our conferences at any point in time are held inside of our universities or they're held in special conference centers. And I could tell you the King Abdulaziz Conference Center. It's like a museum. The decor in that building is like you've never seen before. So, again, there's great care taken by care of all of our organizations whenever there's conferences. And so there's some other conferences. I think that Mr. Rockin, as well as Mr. Aran, you have. There's some other conferences you want to mention.
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Ms. Aljohara Althenyan
I believe the conference I mentioned is the UNESCO Global Forum on the Ethics of AI. Dr. Majid has thankfully just elaborated on.
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Dr. Tahira Hoke
Okay, and I believe, Mr. Rakan, there's another conference, Mr. Rakan? Is it the same conference?
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Mr. Rakan AlSulaim
Especially on AI, there is a conference, not in AI, it's for connecting people from the skies. It will be in October. And also we have LEAP as a tech major event for everything related to technology.
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Dr. Tahira Hoke
Yes, and last but not least, if you scan the QR code here, it'll take you exactly to the website for our ninth Women in Data Science Conference. By the way, only women are allowed to speak at this conference. Yes, but we have, of course, the distinguished support of all of our gentlemen, yes? And so with that, it is in collaboration with Stanford University. And the neatest part of this conference for the ladies who haven't participated in it, you've participated in it, right, is when we go live with the other, their conference is happening. around the world is such an empowering experience for women. And, again, for those in the room who might be like me, who, you know, I'm a psychologist, and so it's very interdisciplinary. So we have, for all of our colleges, women who are contributing and using data science in one shape or another who discuss and talk at this particular conference, especially leading women. Thank you so much. Any other excellent questions?
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Mr. Rakan AlSulaim
Thank you. There's two more questions. Okay, two more. Last question, please.
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Audience
Hi. Eric Gonzalez from Mexico City. Congratulations on the efforts on subsiding multilateral efforts. I think that that's important. And my question is, do you know at what age young generations start to engage with AI? And if there is any scope on that, and the impact of social media, and AI. Thank you.
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Dr. Majed Alshehri
well that seems to be thank you very much for the question that seems to be like a detailed questions it's like a research question so we in terms of eye care we have the youth as one of our priorities when it comes to their usage of AI as of today we haven't initiated any program for that but we are aiming for some programs in next year and within these programs we are targeting to define certain dues and certain priorities on how to protect kids while being online and especially when they are getting access and services to what AI can offer them we believe this is an invisible area for many people many families and parents and we would like to highlight that area for the good usage of AI for them.
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Audience
Hello, hi, um my name is sanaz um i'm a social entrepreneur from based in dubai and first of all um thank you very much for the lovely presentations very insightful i was wondering uh how um the case is basically playing everything into the startup ecosystem that you have specifically into social enterprises because you talked about psychology human more humanity and technology and i believe you have a an amazing unique chance actually to set you know standards globally and i would love to hear about initiatives that are you know feeding into this startup or into the social enterprise ecosystem inside because i've been like you know observing the the ksa market living in dubai since 10 years but like growing up in germany and i've been always like in tech and an advocate for women in tech and as well you know um or education specifically. So maybe you could elaborate more on all the initiatives where we can also be part of, because Saudi is in the mouth. By the way, everybody in Dubai talks about Saudi. Everybody's going to Saudi. Everybody's coming back. Mesmerize, whether it was diving or whether it was Alula Art Festival. And, you know, there's so many things happening. So where can we start if you want to participate and be part of your growth and, yeah, the journey in AI as well.
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Ms. Aljohara Althenyan
Thank you so much. So as you know, AI is ever -changing and it's moving forward very fast. So when it comes to Saudi, as I have previously mentioned, the AI sector has grown immensely, and we are currently ranked first in the Arab world. We have launched a number of programs. Maybe one of our most prominent programs, and that is relevant to you, we have the AIM program that I have just mentioned. AIM is currently trying. to create more than 100 high -quality companies from startups in AI. It has a great budget, and it is also in partnership with the National Technology Development Program, NTDP. So maybe you can further research this entity. It's called the National Technology Development Program. They're currently doing amazing work when it comes to empowering startups and empowering entrepreneurs in the field of technology. And I think their projects will be best fit for what you're trying to find at Saudi.
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Dr. Tahira Hoke
And if I just may add to that, I can tell you that there are at least anywhere from, I would say, five to eight AI -related conferences every year in Saudi Arabia. We have Leap, which has an amazing space for that, with DeepFest. Whenever I go there and I see all the startups sharing and pitching their ideas, it's amazing. It's an amazing, empowering experience. In addition to that, again, if you were to join Black Hat, and there's several conferences. Just keep your eyes open on Saudi Arabia and the different conferences, and it'll seem like a lot of conferences. But know that those conferences translate into actions. There's usually memorandums of understanding what's happening behind the scenes of those conferences. Before every major conference, there's agreements between universities and companies and agencies and the government on MOUs. So in between the photo ops as well as the sessions, you have major agreements that come out of there. So I just encourage you all to keep your eyes open on Saudi Arabia, and you'll see. And if there's any additional information, I'm sure the panel up here will try to provide it for you. Thank you. So, okay. One last question. I know there's someone else right behind us, right, Mr. Ockham? Yeah, go ahead.
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Audience
Okay, thank you. Thank you so much for this inspiring presentation. My name is Linda Qasim. I'm an international consultant on digital regulations and international trade. Basically, my intervention, it's not going to be a question. It's an intervention which is inspired by my experience working in Saudi Arabia with Zadaya and with CST. And I would like just to highlight one thing that wasn't highlighted during the presentation. It's about the regulatory ecosystem related to information technology, where Saudi has been working on improving the laws and regulations that are related to the sector. opening the market for investors to come and invest and supporting the ICT system when it comes to regulations. One of the promising sectors is the space sector, where I personally contributed to the drafting of the regulations of the space sector, where Saudi now has established the space sector and started with it. One of the landmarks of the conferences that was of interest was the Space Debris Conference, which this is one of the global initiatives that happened in Saudi. So basically, I'm also inviting you to just go. Go to Saudi and experience the progress that's happening. Thank you so much.
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Mr. Rakan AlSulaim
Thank you. So thank you all and thank you for our presenters. What have you here today is a single picture viewed from three angles, a kingdom building artificial intelligence and foundation of innovation, trust and partnership. From national strategy to global scale infrastructure to the classrooms and research centers shaping the next generation. Saudi Arabia ambition is not only to advance AI within our own borders, but to be a dependable partner to international community as we navigate this transitions together. On behalf of CST and our partners, Sadiya, ICARE and Prince Sultan University, thank you for the presence and your engagement this afternoon. We look forward to continue this conversation with you. Thank you.

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