"They emphasised that the journey of cooperation should not be confined to specific areas, but should encompass everything that touches human life, security, development, and economy. Accordingly, the GCC states have given increasing attention to the artificial intelligence sector, recognising its pivotal role in shaping the features of the new global economy." His Excellency stated.
This statement was made during His Excellency's participation in the Parliamentary Legislative Forum "Best Legislative Practices in the Field of Artificial Intelligence," held today, Tuesday, October 7, 2025, in the city of Abu Dhabi.
At the beginning of his speech, His Excellency the GCC Secretary General extended his highest thanks, gratitude, and appreciation to His Highness Shaikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), for the generous support and care extended to the GCC's journey of cooperation, and for the UAE's hosting of this Forum, wishing the UAE continued progress and prosperity under His Highness's wise leadership.
"The estimates of the GCC states' investments in this sector have reached tens of billions of dollars over the past few years, with ambitious plans to increase these investments to hundreds of billions by 2030. This reflects our countries' strategic direction towards building a knowledge-based economy founded on innovation and advanced technologies, and bolstering the region's position as a leading global hub in this field. Here, the role of legislation becomes prominent in building renewable legal frameworks that strike a balance between two fundamental matters: encouraging innovation and openness to development, as well as protecting rights and human and societal values. Prudent legislation is not an obstacle to progress, nor does it leave a void for applications that could threaten privacy, security, or social justice." His Excellency pointed out.
He also highlighted the General Secretariat of the Cooperation Council's commitment to building fruitful partnerships with regional and international centres in the field of artificial intelligence.
These include the International Centre for Artificial Intelligence Research and Ethics (ICAIRE), affiliated with the Saudi Data and AI Authority (SDAIA) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in addition to cooperation with leading international organisations such as WIPO and the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO).
"This cooperation has resulted in joint Gulf workshops and events that have contributed to the exchange of expertise and capacity building." His Excellency explained.
His Excellency Mr Albudaiwi touched upon the initiative of the General Secretariat, and the approval of the Ministerial Committee for Digital Government, to form a team concerned with artificial intelligence and emerging technologies in June 2021.
"This team works to support research and development among GCC countries in this field, improve digital government services, and create a flexible regulatory and legislative environment that responds to future requirements. A number of achievements have been reached, foremost among them: the Guiding Manual for the Ethics of AI Use, the General Framework for Supporting AI Applications in Public Services, and the General Framework for the Climate Prediction and Disaster Management Initiative using AI. Work is also underway to prepare a unified Gulf guiding strategy for Artificial Intelligence. Despite all these efforts and achievements, challenges remain, most notably the absence of unified legislative standards, issues of personal data protection, and the potential for AI to be exploited in harmful activities or cyberattacks. However, the future holds promising opportunities if we manage this transformation well. Balanced legislation can make artificial intelligence a tributary for sustainable development, a tool for promoting social justice, and a means to increase the efficiency of both public and private institutions." His Excellency stated.
Moreover, His Excellency underscored that the current stage requires the formulation of an integrated vision that elevates cooperation between legislative councils, governments, the private sector, civil society, and academic institutions.
"Our responsibility today is not limited to enacting new laws, but extends to shaping a social and legislative contract that places the human being at the heart of the artificial intelligence equation, ensuring that this technology remains in the service of humanity, rather than humanity becoming a tool for it." he said.
Finally, His Excellency expressed hope that the forum would produce practical recommendations that enhance Gulf legislative cooperation and support the exchange of experiences with international partners to keep pace with the future and ensure the responsible use of artificial intelligence.