Qatar’s launch of the Global Alliance for AI Ethics (GAAIE) during the first session of the UN Global Dialogue on AI Governance in Geneva represents a significant milestone in the country’s journey towards establishing itself as an active partner in shaping the future of digital governance at the international level.
The initiative reflects Qatar’s vision of building a knowledge-based and innovation-driven digital economy alongside developing an ethical and legislative framework that ensures the responsible use of AI technologies, safeguarding the rights of individuals and institutions and fostering trust in emerging technologies.
HE Minister of Communications and Information Technology Mohammed bin Ali al-Mannai announced the initiative during his address at the high-level session of the UN Global Dialogue, emphasising that Qatar adopts an approach based on leveraging AI to serve sustainable development, while striving to build an international framework that strengthens co-operation between governments, academic institutions, the private sector, and international organisations to ensure the development of this technology in accordance with the principles of justice, transparency, and accountability.
This approach is based on Qatar’s advanced national experience in digital transformation. The minister highlighted that Qatar’s approach to artificial intelligence builds on its national experience and is guided by Qatar National Vision 2030 and the National AI Strategy, through sustained investment in digital infrastructure, computing capacity, scientific research, and regulatory frameworks that foster trust in emerging technologies.
The GAAIE is an initiative launched by Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), a member of Qatar Foundation, to foster a multi-stakeholder global dialogue on AI ethics. The Alliance seeks to ensure that diverse ethical values and cultural traditions contribute to the development of international technical and regulatory frameworks, while amplifying perspectives and experiences from across the world in global AI governance discussions.
The Alliance aims to ensure that ethical values and cultural diversity across the globe contribute to shaping the regulatory and technical frameworks for AI by enhancing the inclusiveness of the international governance system and ensuring that diverse perspectives and experiences are represented in the development of future policies and standards, preventing their monopolisation by a limited number of countries or companies.
This initiative is particularly important given the rapid transformations the world is witnessing in the AI field. The challenge is no longer limited to developing more advanced models but also extends to the ability of countries to establish legal and ethical frameworks that regulate the use of these technologies and mitigate their risks, while simultaneously maintaining an environment conducive to innovation and economic growth.
In this context, the launch of the GAAIE aligns with the objectives of the UN Global Dialogue on AI Governance, established pursuant to the Global Digital Compact and the Global Pact for the Future, aiming to promote international co-operation, the exchange of expertise, and the development of more inclusive and flexible regulatory frameworks that ensure all countries benefit from the economic and developmental opportunities offered by AI, and that these benefits are not limited to the most advanced economies.
The initiative also comes at a time when international calls are growing for unified rules for the governance of AI, as confirmed by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres during the opening of the global dialogue, when he warned that the pace of AI development has become faster than the ability of institutions to keep up with it, calling for strengthening international co-operation and setting co-ordinated global rules to limit potential risks, especially those affecting children and the fundamental rights of individuals.
Experts said that the Qatari initiative represents a qualitative shift from simply advocating for AI ethics to establishing an international institutional framework for dialogue and co-ordination, thereby contributing to unifying international efforts and bridging differing perspectives on the principles governing this technology, especially given the multiplicity of regulatory initiatives and the varying legislation among countries.
Mohammed Saeed al-Saqtri, a technology and cybersecurity expert, noted that Qatar and the Gulf states possess the economic resources and digital infrastructure that qualify them to actively participate in shaping the future of AI, thanks to significant investments in data centres, technological infrastructure, and the computing power necessary to develop and operate advanced models.
He pointed out that the global race is no longer limited to possessing the most powerful models or the greatest computing power. Rather, it now revolves around who sets the ethical and regulatory standards, who owns the highest quality data, and who participates in formulating the international rules that governments and companies will adhere to in the coming years.
He added that the GAAIE represents a strategic shift from the role of “technology consumer” to that of “partner in shaping its rules” — a transformation that empowers participating countries to exert greater influence on the future of the global digital economy and strengthens their role in shaping international AI policies.
Al-Saqtri cited several international models that underscore the importance of legislation in shaping the future of technology, most notably the European Union AI Act, which has become a global benchmark, prompting many companies to adapt their products to its requirements. He also mentioned Unesco’s recommendations on AI ethics, which have become a reference point for many countries when drafting their national legislation.
He emphasised that the Qatari initiative focuses on building a global AI governance model based on common, interoperable standards that will allow for the harmonisation of regulations and legislation across countries, similar to the practices in the civil aviation and cybersecurity sectors, thereby reducing regulatory disparities and fostering international co-operation.
To achieve this goal, al-Saqtri said it is essential to agree on a set of fundamental principles, including obligating companies to conduct risk assessments before launching AI systems, disclosing the nature of the data used to train models, enhancing privacy protection, and documenting content produced using AI. He also emphasised the need for human oversight of high-risk applications and the establishment of an international mechanism for the mutual recognition of compliance standards, which would allow systems to operate in multiple markets without requiring redevelopment to meet the specific requirements of each country.
He further identified four key priorities that should be addressed by the international community: combating deepfakes and misleading content; strengthening data protection as the most important strategic resource in the age of AI; countering cyber threats associated with the use of these technologies in developing malware and launching cyberattacks; and establishing principles of transparency and accountability. This would ensure that users are clear on when content is AI-generated and who bears legal responsibility for decisions made by intelligent systems, particularly in vital sectors such as health, energy, and financial services.
This vision reflects a growing awareness that the future of AI will not be determined solely by technological advancements but also by the international community’s ability to build a balanced governance framework that harmonises fostering innovation, protecting rights, and mitigating risks, which underscores the importance of multilateral initiatives in the coming phase.
From this perspective, the Qatari initiative opens broad horizons for enhancing international co-operation in research and development, establishing specialised centres for AI ethics, data governance, and AI security, attracting global companies to conduct research and experiments in the region, supporting startups, developing national expertise, and promoting regional integration in advanced technology.
Overall, the launch of the GAAIE underscores Qatar’s growing role in shaping the global digital governance agenda through the adoption of initiatives that integrate technical, human, and developmental dimensions, contributing to a more inclusive, equitable, and transparent international framework. It also reflects the country’s commitment to ensuring that AI serves as a tool for promoting sustainable development and economic prosperity within a global system based on trust, co-operation, and accountability. This will guarantee that the benefits of this technology are maximised and harnessed to serve humanity and societies worldwide.