In July 2024, the Government of the United Arab Emirates issued the ‘Charter for the Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence,’ spanning four pages. The preamble of the charter outlines it as a guiding framework for ethical oversight and establishing the UAE as a leading nation in this field by 2031. The significance of this charter stems from three main considerations:

First, Gulf countries, including the UAE, are classified among nations with highly advanced digital infrastructures. While the digital revolution offers opportunities, it also presents challenges, necessitating the regulation of these technologies.

Second, ongoing discussions highlight the need for strategies or charters on AI usage, not just nationally but globally, for both major nations and organizations. National charters like this could help foster international consensus on the best ways to handle these technologies.

Third, the biggest challenge of the current AI revolution lies not only in regulating its national use but also in protecting national security, given the technology’s security implications.

The charter issued by the UAE government includes 12 principles: strengthening human-machine relationships, safety, algorithmic bias, data privacy, transparency, human oversight, governance and accountability, technological excellence, human commitment, peaceful coexistence with AI for an inclusive future, and adherence to existing laws and treaties. These principles aim to strike a balance between benefiting from these technologies and maintaining societal security.

These principles are expected to reinforce the UAE’s efforts to continue employing this technology in not only societal applications but also in the security and military sectors, both of which are of great interest. The UAE’s 2017 AI strategy included crisis forecasting and management across various sectors, including health, climate, and society. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, the UAE used AI to reduce road accidents and improve public services. During the pandemic, AI played a significant role in diagnosing cases and handling them, as well as being utilized in the security sector through simulation models designed to train security personnel to deal with crises. Additionally, AI enhanced security forces’ capabilities in collecting evidence and identifying suspects, all of which supported the country’s plans across various domains.

On the military front, AI has been instrumental in the UAE’s self-manufacturing initiatives, producing significant results through either localizing industries or entering into contracts with other countries for technology transfer.

In conclusion, Gulf countries are generally urged to issue a collective Gulf charter on AI in light of three factors:

1. The European Union’s adoption of the first AI regulation law, which officially came into effect on August 1, 2024. This law includes numerous provisions aimed at protecting the fundamental rights of citizens in 27 countries while also encouraging investment and innovation, covering all products and services offered within the union. Given the Gulf countries’ efforts towards economic integration, they may also need a unified law.

2. While the economic and societal aspects of this technology are essential, AI is now a key standard for ranking the strength of nations. In this regard, Russian President Vladimir Putin once stated, ‘Whoever controls AI will control the world.’ Furthermore, a NATO Parliamentary Assembly report from October 2022 highlighted AI’s ‘devastating impact on military capabilities,’ predicting a significant increase in this effect over the next five to ten years.

3. AI’s influence on national security concepts such as deterrence, balance of power, and others is evident. Now, an individual or group can threaten the security of an entire nation through the misuse of this technology, including cyberattacks targeting critical infrastructure. There are numerous examples of this.

In my view, alongside the importance of issuing charters to regulate AI usage, there are other requirements to maximize the benefits of these technologies, which have become a strategic necessity. These include leveraging the Gulf’s unique digital infrastructure, such as its excellent telecommunications networks and cloud services, which Gulf states have successfully invested in. Additionally, Gulf nations can capitalize on the international competition towards the region by seeking access to modern technology within partnership frameworks or at least entering into joint military manufacturing projects that rely on modern technology. Moreover, with indicators from Gulf states showing intent to enhance regional integration in 2024 across various fields, along with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)’s announcement of a regional security threat vision for the first time in March 2024,

this presents an important opportunity for the GCC General Secretariat to adopt a joint Gulf project to employ technology in the military field by integrating the efforts of the Gulf countries in this regard. This would ultimately contribute to strengthening the concept of self-security for the Gulf states.

On a fourth front, there is a need for the integration of the Gulf countries’ efforts regarding education and training necessary to deal with military technology through cooperation between the relevant technical colleges and the national defense colleges in the six Gulf countries. In addition, sharing experiences and expertise on the employment of technology in the security field is important, given the similar circumstances of these countries.

Finally, with the targeting of maritime transport routes that the Gulf countries rely on for trade with the world, as well as the targeting of commercial ships, employing technology in maritime security protection should be a current priority. This requires coordinating the efforts of the Gulf countries in negotiating with major international companies that monopolize this technology, to achieve Gulf integration in this field.

There is no doubt that the focus on scholarships for Gulf citizens in the field of artificial intelligence will be a crucial factor in establishing human resources capable of managing these technologies, maximizing their benefits, and mitigating their risks.

Note: This article has been automatically translated.

Source: Akhbar Al Khaleej