Bahrain has unveiled a national policy promoting the responsible and ethical use of artificial intelligence (AI), alongside the adoption of the GCC Guiding Manual on the Ethical Use of AI. The initiative aligns with directives from Interior Minister and ICT committee chairman General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa.
The Information and eGovernment Authority (iGA) CEO Mohammed Al Qaed highlighted that the policy, available at www.iga.gov.bh, aims to harness AI for economic and social growth, enhance government efficiency, and ensure AI applications adhere to national and international ethical and legal standards. The framework supports Bahrain Economic Vision 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals.
The policy enforces compliance with key laws, including the Personal Data Protection Law, State Documents Protection Law, Open Data Policy, and the GCC ethical AI guidelines. It also emphasizes government efforts to train and empower public sector employees, particularly in critical sectors like health, education, and public services, to responsibly utilize AI technologies.
The national framework focuses on increasing public trust, fostering a sustainable digital society, and systematically integrating AI into public services to improve performance and service delivery. It targets government officials, service developers, decision-makers, academics, researchers, and beneficiaries of smart government solutions.
Key pillars include legal compliance, promoting AI adoption in government, workforce empowerment with AI skills, and strengthening partnerships to drive innovation.
The GCC Guiding Manual complements the policy by emphasizing shared regional values such as respect for human dignity, Islamic principles, national identity, sustainability, cooperation, and human well-being. It is built upon four ethical principles: safeguarding human autonomy, ensuring safety and harm prevention, promoting fairness and equality, and protecting privacy and data integrity.
Al Qaed noted that this combined policy and ethical charter forms a solid foundation for responsible AI governance, supporting digital transformation, public confidence, and sustainable innovation in Bahrain.
