International Center for Artificial Intelligence Research and Ethics (ICAIRE)

The International Center for Artificial Intelligence Research and Ethics (ICAIRE) is an international center dedicated to promoting artificial intelligence (AI) research and ethics globally. It is headquartered in Riyadh City, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and enjoys legal personality as well as financial and administrative independence. The decision to establish the center was issued on July 25, 2023. In 2023, it was designated as a Category Two International Center under the auspices of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

The International Center for AI Research and Ethics contributes to achieving the United Nations' 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and aligns with the priorities of UNESCO’s programs. The center aims to promote AI research and ethics in accordance with the values and principles outlined in UNESCO’s recommendations on AI ethics. This is achieved through international cooperation in coordinating AI research and development activities, raising awareness about AI ethics, fostering and developing AI skills, and providing advisory support on AI policies.

The International Center for AI Research and Ethics operates on four strategic pillars: supporting research and development in AI, enhancing awareness and communication about AI ethics, strengthening and supporting AI capacity building, and providing recommendations related to AI policies.

The Kingdom adopted the UNESCO Recommendations on the Ethics of AI in November 2021, with the participation of 193 countries. Subsequently, the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) issued the Principles of AI Ethics during the second edition of the Global AI Summit on September 14, 2022. On July 25, 2023, the Council of Ministers approved the establishment of the International Center for AI Research and Ethics, headquartered in Riyadh City.

The General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), during its forty-second session held on November 16, 2023, approved granting the International Center for AI Research and Ethics the status of a Category Two International Center under UNESCO's auspices. This recognition reflects the Kingdom’s commitment to supporting UNESCO’s objectives aimed at enhancing initiatives that benefit humanity. It also underscores the Kingdom’s dedication at the local, regional, and international levels, as well as its ongoing efforts to support AI fields and applications for the benefit of countries worldwide.