Riyadh to Host UNESCO AI Ethics Forum in 2026

Riyadh will host the fourth UNESCO Global Forum on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence (GFEAI 2026) from 14 to 17 September 2026 at The Ritz-Carlton Riyadh in the Al Hada district. The four-day, in-person event is co-hosted by the Saudi Data and AI Authority (SDAIA) in partnership with UNESCO and the International Center for AI Research and Ethics (ICAIRE).

Held under the theme "Transforming Global Cooperation for Ethical AI Governance," the forum focuses on responsible and ethical AI, AI governance, responsible innovation, and the implementation of UNESCO's 2021 Recommendation on the Ethics of AI. It marks the first time an Arab country has hosted this global forum.

The event is expected to bring together ministers and technology and AI policymakers from UNESCO member states, leaders of global technology companies, academics and AI experts, and representatives of international organizations and the public and private sectors to discuss the ethics and governance of artificial intelligence.

How to attend

Attendance is free of charge for registered participants, with no registration fee for general participation. Public registration is open online through the official GFEAI 2026 registration platform managed by ICAIRE and SDAIA, with the link distributed via the forum's official announcements. Enquiries are handled through the event's official coordination email addresses.

Participation is managed through dedicated event registration channels operated by SDAIA and ICAIRE, and is not processed through government platforms. The forum forms part of Saudi Arabia's broader "Year of AI" activities and aligns with the Kingdom's ongoing work on national AI governance and ethics frameworks, including readiness assessments linked to UNESCO's ethics of AI recommendation.

For residents and professionals in Riyadh, the forum offers a rare chance to follow global conversations on AI ethics and policy up close, at no cost, in the heart of the capital.

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