AI Connections: Self-Improvement or Self-Endangerment?
The emergence of artificial intelligence can be viewed as a tool for self-development, while concurrently bearing the potential for self-destruction.
It is important to consider the multifaceted nature of AI while understanding what it can bring forth. Global Embrace & Work Efficiency
Having the potential to change work efficiency by taking tedious tasks off our hands while providing analytical information that improves performance, AI is being embraced around the world at various levels.
AI relates to human values, economic structures, and regulatory frameworks.
While many regions of the world find the productive usefulness in AI and want to reshape it into economic growth, some parts of the world are worried about its disruptive potential.
Perhaps it is time for some international dialogue to promote responsible AI development and investment in skills development to prevent job displacement and loss of human problem-solving skills. Emotional Relationships & Personal Simulations
AI-based simulations provide self-reflection, companionship, and support.
While there may be some benefit of AI systems, particularly for those who may feel lonely and socially anxious at times, it can cause psychological dependency, lead to an inability to detect manipulation or exploitation, and result in isolation and difficulty managing real human relationships. Negative Effects & Safety Measures
AI has certain downsides to it, namely privacy loss due to data collection, addiction to AI services, and a harmful influence on users with cognitive disabilities.
To help mitigate some of these downsides, there should be strict data protection standards, ethical oversight and guidelines for AI, and an effort to increase critical thinking skills.
AI has the potential for improvement through more efficient learning.
However, given the even greater risk, it is essential that ethical development and an understanding of its impacts are a priority to ensure AI does not pose any major harm.
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Arab News
20 hours ago
- Arab News
How Saudi Arabia's KAUST is building the tools, talent, and vision for generative AI
DHAHRAN: As Saudi Arabia accelerates its push to become a global hub for artificial intelligence, the research labs at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology are working to ensure the Kingdom doesn't just consume AI — but helps build it. On KAUST's Red Sea campus, the newly established Center of Excellence in Generative AI — CoE Gen AI — is at the heart of this effort. One of its founding members, Prof. Peter Wonka, is leading a team developing foundational models and tailored tools designed to align with Saudi Arabia's national priorities — from personalized education and energy modeling to AI-generated Arabic content. 'This is a really exciting time to be involved in AI,' Wonka, who is originally from Austria, told Arab News. 'This is the time of tremendous progress.' Saudi Arabia's ambitions are part of a global race to dominate generative AI. PwC estimates that AI will contribute about SR 878 billion ($235 billion), or roughly 12.4 percent of Saudi Arabia's gross domestic product, by 2030. According to research from McKinsey, generative AI could add between $2.6 trillion and $4.4 trillion annually to the global economy — with around 75 percent of that impact concentrated in customer operations, marketing, software engineering, and research and development. Under its national AI strategy, Saudi Arabia has pledged approximately $20 billion in cumulative investments by 2030, aimed at building AI infrastructure, research, and talent development, according to Reuters. 'It has been a very exciting year discussing with various industries in Saudi Arabia about their AI adoption and possible projects we can work on together,' said Wonka. 'Our 30 faculty cover a lot of expertise, making us an excellent and reliable partner for many industries in the Kingdom.' The CoE Gen AI currently includes faculty members working across five major research initiatives, supported by KAUST's Visual Computing Center, where Wonka serves as associate director. Each project maps to one of Saudi Arabia's national research, development, and innovation priorities — health and wellness, sustainability and essential needs, energy and industrial leadership, and economies of the future — alongside foundational AI research that supports applications across domains. One of KAUST's major translational focuses is education. Earlier this year, Arab News reported that AI would be integrated into the school curriculum starting in the coming academic year. The introduction of this nationwide AI curriculum aims to support the Kingdom's Human Capability Development Program, part of the Vision 2030 plan for national development and diversification. The curriculum was unveiled in July by the National Curriculum Center, with the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, and the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority. It features age-appropriate AI modules in the form of interactive and hands-on teaching. But Wonka cautions that simply adding AI isn't enough. 'It only makes sense with an additional understanding of other subjects and with a good grasp of fundamentals,' he said. At the university level, AI tools also have the potential of being misused. The result is a widening gap between students who treat AI as a shortcut and those who strategically integrate it into a broader learning workflow. 'People that possibly grew up without AI have better fact-checking skills,' said Wonka, emphasizing that over-reliance on these tools can produce incorrect or low-quality outputs. He encourages students to use generative tools to brainstorm ideas, rewrite for clarity, or structure outlines — but warns against letting the model replace original research. 'A paper written entirely by AI has no research, no ideas,' he said. That tension between power and reliability is central to KAUST's AI safety research. 'These tools can give wrong answers very confidently and sometimes even mix up elementary facts,' he said. 'Still, it may be too optimistic to hope for AI tools that give no wrong answers. A more pragmatic approach would be to learn how to use AI tools despite the fact that they may give wrong answers from time to time.' Beyond education, generative AI is poised to impact nearly every sector. 'For business communication, AI is already used for spell-checking, editing, and drafting complete letters or emails,' said Wonka. 'Doctors will heavily lean on AI tools to support diagnosing their patients … Cars will have more and more automatic driving features to assist humans in driving. Creative work, such as graphic design and photography, will greatly rely on AI assistance.' Yet, while the technology is advancing quickly, Wonka remains cautious. 'That is not something I would feel very comfortable predicting,' he said. 'A lot of people are just speculating.' Instead, he envisions a more subtle shift — AI gradually embedding itself into daily workflows. 'What I'm betting on happening almost certainly is more that AI will be integrated in everybody's life to make it 25 percent more efficient.' A key part of the CoE Gen AI's mission is to build tools that are culturally relevant and locally deployable. 'There are a lot of different companies that are interested in having local use of AI so that they don't send all their data to the big companies — because they're really worried about that,' said Wonka. To that end, KAUST is also investing in Arabic-language AI systems for tutoring, content generation, and search. 'The main emphasis of our work in AI in intelligent tutoring is to develop tools for personalized learning, personalized testing, and dual language support in both English and Arabic,' said Wonka. In visual content generation, his team is focused on personalization and the creation of culturally relevant content in both languages. Meanwhile, in the realm of smart cities, KAUST researchers are exploring how AI can support digital twins, architectural data analysis, and urban planning. 'Cognitive cities are able to learn, adapt, predict, and proactively respond,' he said. One open question, he added, is how far AI will go in replacing human roles altogether. KAUST has launched a new Center of Excellence in Generative AI to develop foundational models aligned with national priorities. The research spans five core areas, including personalized education, sustainable energy modeling, Arabic content generation, and smart city planning. Prof. Peter Wonka leads the initiative, emphasizing both academic rigor and practical industry collaboration within the Kingdom. 'Will we see most doctors' offices staffed only by robots, or will there only be human doctors using AI tools? It's important for everyone to invest time in learning about AI and using AI tools.' Success, he said, is measured both academically and practically. 'For translational impact, the university considers metrics such as the success of startup companies, the number and size of in-Kingdom collaborations and their impact, patents and their generated revenue, as well as successful research collaborations within the Kingdom and abroad that are externally funded. 'Ultimately, a lot of the success of the university is about collaborations. The CoE Gen AI aims to support in-Kingdom businesses and government entities to develop impactful AI projects.' Wonka joined KAUST in 2012 after stints at Arizona State University and Georgia Tech. With a background in computer science, computer vision, and urban modeling, he has helped shape KAUST's AI vision from its early stages to its current, ambitious scope. Now, as one of the Kingdom's leading researchers in generative AI, he is focused on ensuring that Saudi Arabia, his home for the last 14 years, is not just reacting to the global AI wave — but actively shaping it. 'I do believe that you'll see a lot of impact coming from AI,' he said. 'And I think as a researcher, it's really exciting to be on the forefront of something that is that exciting.'
Arab News
21 hours ago
- Arab News
The critical groundwork needed to win the AI race
Artificial intelligence has become a high-stakes global race that everyone is watching closely. But far from merely leading the race, Saudi Arabia has set out to help design the racetrack. While most countries are debating regulations and scrambling for compute, the Kingdom is building a vertically integrated AI engine at an unprecedented scale, from sovereign data centers and large chips procurement deals to venture capital and large language models. Saudi Arabia is executing a top down play to become a global force in AI. And it is moving fast. AI is more than algorithms. The critical groundwork lies in digital infrastructure, reliable data, regulatory alignment, and talent. Saudi Arabia understands this better than most, and is moving with intent to shape the global AI landscape. At the center of this strategy is Humain, the newly launched state-owned infrastructure titan, with multi-gigawatt ambitions, hundreds of thousands of chip orders, and partnerships spanning NVDIA, AMD, and Qualcomm. Complemented by an additional $10 billion in venture capital, the Kingdom is committed to scalability. It offers abundant and low-cost energy for AI compute, making the entire AI system not only viable but globally competitive. In addition to projects with Google Cloud and Groq's new Riyadh region, Humain aims to become one of the world's largest AI infrastructure providers. Its first phase includes scaling capacity to support 6.6GW by 2034, including 18,000 Nvidia Blackwell chips. Humain represents more than its tens of billions of dollars of investments; it signals to the AI world what few countries can claim: intent backed by execution at scale. AI is nothing without digital infrastructure. High-performance computing centers, specialized data hubs, fiber deployments, and energy-efficient hardware are the foundation on which this technology thrives. Saudi Arabia recognizes this and is backing ambitions with one of the most aggressive infrastructure buildouts globally. If AI infrastructure is the engine, data is the fuel. Indeed, the quality of it determines how far you can go. The more relevant and robust the datasets, the sharper and more contextually aware the AI. Unlike countries that use foreign cloud providers for data storage and processing outside their borders, Saudi Arabia is treating data as a sovereign asset, where it should remain under national domains. Owning specialized and well-structured data means owning your future in AI. It is a simple, yet powerful, formula: Proprietary data equals competitive advantage. AI is more than algorithms. The critical groundwork lies in digital infrastructure, reliable data, regulatory alignment, and talent. Saudi Arabia understands this better than most. Javier Alvarez A bank that uses its own transactional data to train an AI fraud detection tool will always outperform one using general, third-party datasets. This is the kind of edge the Kingdom is building into its national and business-level frameworks. Through upcoming legislation, AI companies will be regulated under the laws of their country of origin — an ambitious attempt to balance openness with compliance and trust. This data strategy is not isolated from the infrastructure, which in Saudi Arabia will give clients full visibility on how their data is used and processed in real time. Transparency by design is Saudi Arabia's approach through a globalized world of data scrutiny and regulation. Saudi Arabia's AI efforts are not solely focused on servers, chips, and top-notch infrastructure, but are also about shaping the future workforce and their skills. Initiatives led by the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority and major partnerships with global tech leaders are helping to build talent pipelines that match the scale of infrastructure investments. One of the key challenges remains the global shortage of skilled AI professionals. Education initiatives in Saudi universities are a long-term fix, but for now, the Kingdom will have to continue attracting world-class tech talent. The UAE ranks higher in AI talent attraction globally, but Saudi Arabia is rapidly narrowing the gap. Saudi Arabia's focus on creating locally trained models in Arabic like ALLaM is a strategic move to avoid reliance on AI systems that do not represent regional cultures or languages accurately. By owning the regulation process and embedding an AI framework that prioritizes transparency and ethical considerations, the Kingdom ensures that AI adoption comes with accountability and responsibility for all its stakeholders. The global AI race is heating up, yes, and the path to leadership is paved by smart, steady, and strategic decisions. Saudi Arabia's investments in infrastructure, data sovereignty, clear regulation, and education initiatives are the foundation stones for what could become one of the most advanced AI ecosystems in the world. • Javier Alvarez is senior managing director & technology head for the Middle East at FTI Delta
Saudi Gazette
a day ago
- Saudi Gazette
AI governance… A necessary good
Artificial intelligence is no longer a purely technical matter, nor merely a development in tools of administration and productivity. It has gradually become an influential actor in shaping public decision-making and a silent component embedded within the fabric of policy, economics, and communication. As AI is increasingly deployed across critical sectors—from justice to education, from security to media—the urgent need arises to recalibrate the relationship between humans and algorithms, not only through the lens of efficiency, but also through the imperatives of sovereignty, accountability, and fairness. In this context, AI governance is no longer an optional regulatory step; it is a national and strategic priority. Notably, Saudi Arabia—positioned at the forefront of future-focused nations—has recently shown a growing strategic caution regarding certain negative uses of AI, particularly those that could manipulate public opinion or unduly influence collective behavior. This growing vigilance has been reflected in official statements, regulatory decisions, and even the suspension of cooperation with certain AI systems that have yet to meet ethical or legal oversight. In a world where technology now outpaces regulation, remaining silent about the unchecked expansion of intelligent tools poses a structural risk—not just to individuals, but to the integrity of decision-making itself. The question is no longer whether AI should be regulated, but whether we can afford the consequences of leaving it unregulated. What raises the greatest concern today is not AI's superior performance in tasks, but its silent infiltration into decision-making spaces without transparency or accountability. Who is to blame when a qualified job applicant is rejected by an opaque algorithm? Who bears responsibility when AI-generated content is used to mislead the public? What if a system causes financial or reputational harm due to bias? This is not merely a technical issue—it is legal at its core. That is why our relationship with AI must be redefined. These are no longer support tools, but active players that must be embedded within a clearly defined institutional and legal framework. AI governance thus emerges as the most pressing and sensitive concept of this stage. AI governance can be defined as: 'A set of policies, controls, and legal and ethical standards that regulate the development, deployment, and oversight of AI systems. It ensures accountability, transparency, fairness in outcomes, and the ability to interpret and intervene in automated decisions, all within a regulatory environment that safeguards individual rights, public interest, and national sovereignty over technical systems.' In this sense, governance is not the antithesis of innovation—it is the compass that prevents innovation from straying into harmful terrain. Accordingly, the state must urgently launch a national governance framework for AI—not as a bureaucratic formality, but as a legal and ethical shield that protects decision-making, society, and sovereign control. This framework should include tools for impact assessment, mechanisms to monitor algorithmic drift, and authority to immediately suspend or reject any system proven to be biased or unsafe. AI-powered projects must also be contractually bound to clear accountability terms. No AI system should be deployed in public or private sectors without mandatory clauses on transparency, risk acknowledgment, and liability. With its strong institutional landscape and progressive regulatory vision, Saudi Arabia is well positioned not only to keep pace with global developments, but to lead them. What is needed is not just awareness of the risks, but their translation into enforceable regulations, executive instructions, and a cultural shift in how institutions manage innovation. In this light, several practical and actionable recommendations can be proposed: • 1. Establish an independent national AI governance unit within state regulatory bodies, with authority to review and approve AI systems prior to deployment in public or quasi-public institutions. • 2. Require companies and developers to submit AI Impact Reports before launching any intelligent system, with such reports integrated into licensing procedures. • 3. Issue a regulatory charter to govern the contractual relationship between users and AI service providers, including detailed liability clauses for non-human errors. • 4. Support the creation of a National Center for Tech Ethics, responsible for issuing binding principles and maintaining an accreditation list of systems meeting legal and ethical standards. Building a national AI governance framework should not stop at internal organization; it must extend to shaping a broader cultural understanding of AI across the Arab region. Saudi Arabia, through institutions like the Saudi Data and AI Authority (SDAIA), the National Cybersecurity Authority, and academic centers such as KAUST and the King Abdullah Institute for Artificial Intelligence, has the capability to produce a regional governance model—one that promotes ethical innovation, controls harmful use, and educates future generations on responsible AI grounded in law and values. With its rising regulatory capacity and visionary digital transformation, the Kingdom is poised not merely to adapt to AI, but to shape how it is adopted—especially in societies that share our language, reality, and future. Progress is not measured by who owns the fastest algorithm, but by who steers it with wisdom. And those who embrace AI without governing it may one day find their decisions shaped by technology—before policy and law have their say.
