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Saudi Arabia to Host Fourth UNESCO Global Forum on the Ethics of AI in Riyadh

Buildings are seen in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, December 18, 2017. REUTERS/Faisal Al Nasser 
Buildings are seen in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, December 18, 2017. REUTERS/Faisal Al Nasser 
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Saudi Arabia to Host Fourth UNESCO Global Forum on the Ethics of AI in Riyadh

Buildings are seen in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, December 18, 2017. REUTERS/Faisal Al Nasser 
Buildings are seen in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, December 18, 2017. REUTERS/Faisal Al Nasser 

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, represented by the Saudi Data and AI Authority (SDAIA), and the UNESCO will co-host the fourth edition of the Global Forum on the Ethics of AI, in collaboration with the International Center for AI Research and Ethics (ICAIRE).

The forum will take place in Riyadh from September 14 to 17, 2026, reflecting growing international confidence in Saudi Arabia’s standing and reinforcing its leadership in advancing global efforts toward responsible and ethical AI.

This builds on Saudi Arabia’s continued efforts to strengthen international partnerships with UNESCO and its sustained support for the development of ethical AI frameworks. The International Center for AI Research and Ethics (ICAIRE), a Category 2 Center headquartered in Riyadh under the auspices of UNESCO, plays a pivotal role in advancing international research and policy on AI ethics, SPA reported.

The hosting of the forum reflects Saudi Arabia’s firm commitment to promoting the responsible use of AI and to actively shaping an ethical and inclusive digital future, while also supporting the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

The UNESCO Global Forum on the Ethics of AI serves as a high-level international platform dedicated to addressing the ethical challenges and opportunities associated with the development and use of AI technologies. It brings together leading decision-makers, experts, ministers, and representatives of international organizations from across the globe to support the implementation of relevant international principles and to balance technological advancement with social responsibility.

Saudi Arabia’s hosting of the forum in Riyadh coincides with the designation of 2026 as the Year of Artificial Intelligence, as well as SDAIA’s organization of the fourth edition of the Global AI Summit, scheduled to take place from September 15 to 17, 2026. The summit will be held under the patronage of His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince, Prime Minister, and Chairman of SDAIA’s Board of Directors, further reinforcing Riyadh’s position as a leading global destination for major international AI events.

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Technology

WhatsApp Will Allow Users to Go by Usernames Instead of Phone Numbers, Closing a Privacy Blind Spot

A WhatsApp icon is displayed on an iPhone, Nov. 15, 2018, in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. (AP)
A WhatsApp icon is displayed on an iPhone, Nov. 15, 2018, in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. (AP)
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WhatsApp Will Allow Users to Go by Usernames Instead of Phone Numbers, Closing a Privacy Blind Spot

A WhatsApp icon is displayed on an iPhone, Nov. 15, 2018, in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. (AP)
A WhatsApp icon is displayed on an iPhone, Nov. 15, 2018, in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. (AP)

WhatsApp users will soon get the option of going by usernames instead of phone numbers, the company said Monday, announcing plans to address a privacy blind spot.

The app said it has started allowing users to reserve unique usernames, which can be used to contact WhatsApp users when the feature is launched later this year.

WhatsApp, which says it has more than 3 billion users globally, has until now allowed users to be contacted by anyone who has their phone number.

The app, owned by Meta Platforms, said in a blog post that over the “coming months” users will get the option to be found and contacted only by their username, and not their number. It wasn't more specific about the timeline.

“We have designed this as a core privacy feature,” Alice Newton-Rex, WhatsApp's vice president of product, told reporters.

There won't be a directory of usernames on the app, and the app won't suggest names as you type.

“People will need to know your exact username to contact you for the first time,” she said.

WhatsApp's current privacy settings are limited to blocking individual users and silencing unknown callers. The app also allows users to add a profile name, but that's only displayed in chat groups for other people who don't have the user's contact info saved.

While Americans still prefer text messaging to WhatsApp, the app is widely used in Europe, Asia and much of the rest of the world.

Catchy online handles are highly coveted and users will likely scramble to claim a desirable one.

“I think a lot of people will go and get usernames and that’s why we decided to open reservations early,” Newton-Rex said.

Companies, organizations and creators with existing accounts on Meta's social media platforms, Instagram and Facebook, will get the chance to claim their usernames on WhatsApp.

Usernames need to be between three and 35 characters. To prevent impersonation, WhatsApp will hold back usernames for high-profile people or groups such as celebrities, public figures and government entities.

Technology

BT, Verizon Join Forces to Create $4 Billion Int’l Joint Venture

The Verizon logo is seen on the 375 Pearl Street building in Manhattan, New York City, US, November 22, 2021. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly
The Verizon logo is seen on the 375 Pearl Street building in Manhattan, New York City, US, November 22, 2021. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly
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BT, Verizon Join Forces to Create $4 Billion Int’l Joint Venture

The Verizon logo is seen on the 375 Pearl Street building in Manhattan, New York City, US, November 22, 2021. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly
The Verizon logo is seen on the 375 Pearl Street building in Manhattan, New York City, US, November 22, 2021. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly

BT and Verizon on Monday announced a deal to combine their international enterprise operations into a 50:50 joint venture, focusing on serving multinational clients and bringing together $4 billion in combined annual revenue.

Verizon has agreed to pay BT an equalization payment of $625 million, and both companies ⁠will hold equal ⁠voting rights in the new venture, which will serve more than 3,000 customers in over 180 countries, Reuters reported.

The deal marks a milestone for BT chief executive ⁠Allison Kirkby, who has been steadily refocusing the 180-year-old British telecoms group on its home UK market while shedding international assets.

Verizon CEO Dan Schulman, who has been pushing his own turnaround at the US wireless carrier, said the venture was "the clear answer" for international customers ⁠who ⁠need secure, flexible connectivity that works across borders and cloud environments.

BT and Verizon named Martijn Blanken as chief executive officer-designate of the new company. Blanken will join BT Group from September 1, 2026, and work with both parent companies as they prepare to launch the joint venture.

Technology

South Korea Unveils Massive AI and Chip Investment Drive

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung (C), alongside Samsung Electronics Co. Chairman Lee Jae-yong (L) and SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, attends a meeting at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, South Korea, 29 June 2026. EPA/YONHAP
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung (C), alongside Samsung Electronics Co. Chairman Lee Jae-yong (L) and SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, attends a meeting at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, South Korea, 29 June 2026. EPA/YONHAP
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South Korea Unveils Massive AI and Chip Investment Drive

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung (C), alongside Samsung Electronics Co. Chairman Lee Jae-yong (L) and SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, attends a meeting at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, South Korea, 29 June 2026. EPA/YONHAP
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung (C), alongside Samsung Electronics Co. Chairman Lee Jae-yong (L) and SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, attends a meeting at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, South Korea, 29 June 2026. EPA/YONHAP

South Korea rolled out sweeping chip and AI mega-projects on Monday, as President Lee Jae Myung pledged to cement overwhelming industry ⁠leadership with investments spanning ⁠hundreds of billions of dollars over several years.

The announcement marks Lee's boldest push yet to align South Korea's AI and chip ambitions with his pledge to narrow regional disparities and revive economies beyond the Seoul metropolitan area.

Lee was joined by ⁠the leaders of Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, the world's two largest memory chipmakers, for the televised announcement.

"We must secure the core elements of AI faster than any other country," Reuters quoted the president as saying. "Semiconductors, physical AI, and AI data centers are the triple axis for our great leap forward."

The projects are expected to attract investments including by Samsung and SK over the next several years. Lee said the country's ⁠southwestern ⁠city of Gwangju and South Jeolla province will also invest 520 trillion won ($336.70 billion) in the projects.

As part of the overall initiative, the southwest would be the home to new massive chip production clusters, Lee said, in part to utilize the rich power resources yet untapped there.

Local media have reported the planned investments could exceed 1,000 trillion won ($651.41 billion) over coming years.