Arab Media Forum in Dubai: Rules for governing Artificial Intelligence should be set at inception stage, say experts
International committees can derive principles for security, privacy and other issues
Dubai: Rules for governing artificial intelligence (AI), particularly related to security and privacy, must be incorporated right at the design stage, heard the Arab Media Forum in Dubai today.
Alaa ElShimy, Managing Director and Senior VP of the Enterprise Business Group in the Middle East and Central Asia Region at Huawei, said: “AI, essentially a software, should be governed from its inception. Designers and technicians developing AI software have a responsibility to pay in the early stages of AI media management, especially concerning policies, ethics and morals.”
Dr Fatmah Baothman, Member of the Global Future Council on the Future of AI by the World Economic Forum, said: “However, going forward, regulations concerning AI should align with its use cases and evolving developments.”
Dr Fatmah, ElShimy and other government officials were deliberating the role of ‘AI governance in media’ during a panel discussion at the Forum on Wednesday.
The Arab Media Forum is held in Dubai from September 26 to 27 as the region’s largest gathering for media professionals. Organised by the Dubai Press Club under the theme ‘The Future of Arab Media’, more than 3,000 delegates worldwide are participating at the AMF.
Committees to govern AI
Dr Fatmah stressed the importance of imbuing AI with purpose and objectives, transitioning from the traditional electronic world to a smarter one. “Since there are variations in traditions and privacy concerns in different countries, international committees related to AI should define these principles,” said Dr Fatmah.
Furthermore, she underscored the proactive role of these committees in staying ahead of AI developments and the importance of considering intellectual property (IP).
Younus Al Nasser, Assistant Director-General at Smart Dubai, also spoke at the panel. He emphasised the need for rapid adaptation to the fast-paced world of technology. He underscored data dissemination, sharing, and reliability in the context of AI.
“The partnerships between AI specialists and media representatives is an important one. Equally important is the role of ethics, transparency, and data preservation,” he said.
Sector-specific AI principles
Moreover, Al Nasser said that Dubai is working towards creating sector-specific AI principles tailored to different industries.
“This is similar to the 100 Practical Applications and Use Cases of Generative AI developed by the UAE Ministry of AI for entrepreneurs and media [launched on Tuesday at the AMF],” he added.
The discussions also touched on the challenges and opportunities presented by AI. ElShimy said AI is part of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
“Eventually, 16 per cent of the GDP will come from AI, which will, in turn, bolster the economy, leading to better lives. It has many uses in education, agriculture, industry, etc. That said, this programme has good and bad attached to it,” said Al Nasser. T
he speakers highlighted the importance of infusing AI with principles and morals to make it a flexible and beneficial tool, including in the media sector. “There is a need for human-machine collaboration and the responsibility to achieve positive results,” said Elshimy.