ICAIRE Acting Director Says China Leading in AI, Hopes for Global Cooperation

During the 4th Global Forum on the Ethics of AI in Riyadh, Majid Ali Al-Shehri, acting director of the International Center for AI Research and Ethics (ICAIRE), said in an interview with Xinhua that China is a leading country in AI. He expressed hope that China would lead international cooperation in balancing AI innovation and regulation.

Al-Shehri noted that a global consensus on the basic principles of AI governance has emerged, with some countries having established their own ethical norms, regulatory frameworks, and guidelines. The current challenge, he said, lies in moving from policy-making to implementation and integrating these requirements into the AI industry's value chain.

He described China as having a vast "ecosystem" in infrastructure, data centers, core technologies, and R&D capabilities, and said he expects China and other leading AI countries to set a global example in achieving a balance between AI innovation and regulation.

Al-Shehri also said that ICAIRE has proposed establishing a master's degree program in AI ethics at globally renowned universities and hopes to invite Chinese universities to join the initiative. The center, based in Riyadh and founded in 2023 with support from UNESCO, is dedicated to building connections and cooperation with universities, research institutions, and AI-using enterprises worldwide, and is actively promoting partnerships with Chinese institutions.

The 4th Global Forum on the Ethics of AI, co-hosted by UNESCO and Saudi Arabia, opened in Riyadh on September 15 under the theme "Improving Global Cooperation on AI Ethics," and runs through September 17.