Saudi Arabia is pursuing artificial intelligence adoption alongside responsible governance, said Dr. Abdullah bin Sharaf Alghamdi, President of the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA). He said the Kingdom aims to combine faster innovation and advanced technical capabilities with frameworks that ensure AI serves people, society and different sectors.

Alghamdi was speaking at a press briefing for the fourth UNESCO Global Forum on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, hosted in Riyadh from 14 to 17 September 2026. SDAIA organized the forum in partnership with UNESCO and in cooperation with the International Center for AI Research and Ethics (ICAIRE).

He linked the gathering to Saudi Arabia’s designation of 2026 as the Year of Artificial Intelligence, emphasizing innovation alongside policies, safeguards and requirements for safe, responsible use. He said Saudi Arabia was among the first countries to endorse UNESCO’s Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence and had proposed an international research and ethics centre to place human responsibility at the heart of technological change.

Alghamdi outlined initiatives launched in 2026, including more than 40 academic programmes in data and AI and the graduation of over 1.2 million participants from the One Million Saudis in AI initiative, SAMAI. SAMAI 2 provides sector-specific training in energy, healthcare, industry, education and agriculture. Governance initiatives include an AI risk-management framework, a responsible-use policy and AI badges for individuals.

He also traced earlier milestones: the announcement of AI ethics principles at the 2022 Global AI Summit, the establishment of ICAIRE in 2023, its designation as a UNESCO Category 2 centre, and a tripartite agreement signed by Saudi Arabia, UNESCO and ICAIRE in 2024.

The Riyadh forum featured more than 100 speakers across 30 sessions and attracted over 16,000 registrations. A closed ministerial session brought together around 60 ministers and heads of delegation.

UNESCO Deputy Director-General Åsa Regnér called for wider access to AI’s benefits, which remain concentrated in a limited number of countries and companies. She emphasized policies that keep people in control and strengthen responsibility and accountability. National policies should reflect countries’ different needs while supporting international cooperation and knowledge exchange, she said, welcoming Saudi Arabia’s role in hosting the dialogue.

ICAIRE Acting Director-General Dr. Majid bin Ali Al-Shehri said the AI ethics Readiness Assessment Methodology had been applied in 78 countries, reflecting a shift from principles to practical policies. He outlined ICAIRE’s work in capacity-building, particularly in developing countries and Africa, knowledge sharing, education, and equipping women and young people with skills. The centre also connects institutions and experts so that successful national experiences can inform work elsewhere.

The forum comes amid growing demand for shared approaches to AI governance that balance rapid innovation with human rights and values, supporting more responsible, inclusive and human-centred technologies.