RIYADH — The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has announced that Saudi Arabia, represented by the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), has joined its Recommendation on Artificial Intelligence, the first international standard in the field. The recommendation aims to foster innovation and build trust in AI technologies through responsible governance, including generative and general AI. OECD is an intergovernmental organization, with 38 member countries, founded in 1961, to stimulate economic progress and world trade. Saudi Arabia is among 10 non-OECD member states to adopt this recommendation, boosting its global efforts, led by SDAIA, to enhance AI governance. Saudi Arabia had previously partnered with OECD to launch the Arabic-language MENA Observatory on Responsible AI during the third edition of the Global AI Summit held in Riyadh. Also, the Kingdom ranked third globally, after the United States and the United Kingdom, in the OECD's AI Policy Observatory. It was also one of the first countries to adopt UNESCO's 2021 Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence and completed the readiness assessment officially published by UNESCO in December 2024. This achievement reflects SDAIA's comprehensive approach to the development, governance, and regulation of AI through an integrated framework combining legislation, ethical standards, and national and international initiatives. SDAIA continues to support AI research, development, and innovation while advancing regulatory frameworks that ensure ethical use, responsible deployment, and strong governance in line with the best global practices in support of Saudi Vision 2030. SDAIA has issued several key regulatory guidelines to govern AI applications, including the Generative AI Guidelines for the Public, the Generative AI Guidelines for Government Entities, the AI Adoption Framework, the Deepfakes Guidelines, and the Personal Data Protection Law. The authority has also granted accreditation to more than 45 AI-specialized companies within the Kingdom to stimulate the local AI market and boost trust in its applications. Also, SDAIA has played an active role in the UN High-Level Advisory Body on Artificial Intelligence and hosted the world's largest consultation session in Riyadh for the report titled "Governing AI for Humanity." These efforts culminated in the establishment of the International Center for AI Research and Ethics (ICAIRE) in Riyadh under the umbrella of UNESCO. The center is dedicated to advancing research on AI ethics, fostering international cooperation, and solidifying the Kingdom's leadership in shaping the future of responsible AI governance.
