Government officials, researchers and technology leaders from around the world gathered in Riyadh this week for the 4th Global Forum on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, seeking practical ways to govern rapidly advancing AI while protecting human rights and promoting responsible innovation.
The forum, held from Sept. 14 to 17, is co-hosted by UNESCO and Saudi Arabia, represented by the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority and the International Center for AI Research and Ethics. Saudi Arabia is the first Arab country to host the gathering.
Ministers and representatives from more than 60 countries took part in a high-level meeting that produced a joint statement on international AI governance. Discussions have focused on translating ethical principles into national policies as increasingly capable AI systems raise questions about accountability, privacy, discrimination and environmental costs.
The forum builds on UNESCO’s 2021 Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, adopted by the organization’s member states as a global framework for responsible AI. UNESCO says it has since worked with 77 countries on national AI strategies and policies, while 58 have completed its Readiness Assessment Methodology, which examines countries’ ability to develop and govern AI responsibly.
This week, UNESCO is introducing an updated version, known as RAM 2.0, designed to incorporate more input from women, people with disabilities and Indigenous communities. It is also releasing an analysis of global AI-governance trends and a toolkit addressing AI’s environmental footprint.
The agenda extends beyond regulation. Participants are examining AI’s effects on mental health, education, culture, gender equality and employment, as well as emerging fields such as neurotechnology and synthetic biology.
The Riyadh meeting follows previous forums in Prague, Kranj and Bangkok. Its focus reflects a growing challenge for governments: converting broad international agreement on responsible AI into rules and institutions capable of keeping pace with the technology.
