The Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) has signed a cooperation agreement with the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) to advance the adoption and implementation of the Riyadh Charter on Artificial Intelligence for the Islamic World. The agreement was signed at SDAIA’s headquarters in Riyadh by SDAIA President Dr. Abdullah Al-Ghamdi and ICESCO Director-General Dr. Salim Al-Malik.
The partnership seeks to establish a unified and ethical framework for artificial intelligence governance across ICESCO’s 53 member states. It aims to promote responsible AI practices, encourage innovation, and address shared challenges related to the deployment and governance of AI technologies across the Islamic world.
Under the agreement, both organizations will collaborate on joint initiatives aligned with the principles of the Riyadh Charter. These principles include integrity and fairness, privacy and security, reliability and safety, transparency and explicability, accountability and responsibility, humanitarian values, and social and environmental benefits.
The cooperation will also focus on developing AI knowledge and skills within ICESCO member states, building specialized national capacities in AI and related fields, and promoting the safe, ethical, and reliable use of AI technologies. The initiative is designed to support member states in adopting AI in a way that aligns with cultural values and responsible governance standards.
Dr. Kais Hammami, Head of ICESCO’s Strategic Foresight and Artificial Intelligence Center, said the Riyadh Charter serves as a unified governance framework for AI in Islamic countries. He noted that the charter is rooted in a humanitarian and forward-looking vision that aligns with the civilizational and cultural values of the Islamic world, while supporting member states’ efforts to use AI to advance the Sustainable Development Goals.
