Saudi Minister of Communications and Information Technology Eng. Abdullah Alswaha said on Monday the Kingdom, under the leadership of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, presents a model of international cooperation to bridge social, economic and AI gaps.
Alswaha highlighted the Kingdom's efforts, in collaboration with the UN’s International Telecommunication Union, to conduct a study on how to bridge the digital divide, in view of the fact that 2.6 billion people lack access to digital solutions.
He made his remarks at a panel session at the Summit of the Future held on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
The Kingdom launched the virtual hospital as a pioneering model in healthcare, and performed numerous specialized surgeries, including open-heart operations on patients in various countries, Alswaha continued.
The Kingdom is proud of the growth of its digital economy; it had proposed the establishment of the Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO) to bridge gaps and serve over 800 million people, he added.
This can be done by providing digital platforms and a unified digital market to foster innovative and entrepreneurial models in healthcare, education, and business, thus improving efficiency and helping the digital economy grow, he said.
Through its membership in the AI Advisory Body, led by the UN secretary-general, Saudi Arabia is contributing to bridging social, economic and AI gaps, shaping the future of humanity and empowering individuals, stressed Alswaha.
The Kingdom, he added, presented seven recommendations, among which, to establish an independent international scientific committee focused on AI, launch a multi-government dialogue on AI governance involving stakeholders, create a platform for sharing standards and experience related to AI, and building a global network for capacity development.
"To boost joint efforts and exchange experience, the Kingdom is proud to announce its framework for AI governance in partnership with the UN, the establishment of the International Center for Artificial Intelligence Research and Ethics (ICAIRE) in partnership with UNESCO, and the launching of the AI Readiness Framework in partnership with the International Telecommunication Union," the minister said.
"As we celebrate today the launch of the Pact for the Future, we must unite in recognizing that we have only one option: a comprehensive AI that empowers humanity and ensures that no one is left behind in keeping pace with the world," he said.
