On September 12, 2024, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, a significant tri-partite agreement was signed involving the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and the International Center for Artificial Intelligence Research and Ethics (ICAIRE). As a result of this agreement, ICAIRE has been officially designated as a Category 2 (C2) center under UNESCO's sponsorship.
The agreement was formalized by Dr. Abdullah Al-Ghamdi, President of the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) and Chairman of ICAIRE’s Board of Directors, and UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay, on the opening day of the third Global AI Summit, held at the King Abdulaziz International Conference Center in Riyadh.
With this new status, ICAIRE will concentrate on advancing AI research and ethics as an international center operating under UNESCO’s framework. This C2 designation highlights Saudi Arabia’s pivotal role in fostering global and regional collaboration on AI policies, ethics, and research. The center will continue to drive initiatives related to AI research, ethics awareness, policy development, and capacity building.
This move underscores Saudi Arabia's dedication to supporting UNESCO's mission of utilizing artificial intelligence for global benefit, with a focus on aiding developing countries, thereby contributing to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. The establishment and designation of ICAIRE as a C2 center were confirmed by a Cabinet decision on July 25, 2023, which granted the center legal status and financial and administrative independence.
