Latest news with #OmarSaudAlOmar
Zawya
2 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
Digital cooperation organization launches AI ethics evaluator tool to promote ethical AI worldwide
The Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO), the world's first standalone international intergovernmental organization dedicated to accelerating inclusive and sustainable digital economies, officially launched its flagship DCO AI Ethics Evaluator Policy Tool at the AI for Good Summit 2025 and WSIS+20 (World Summit on the Information Society) in Geneva. The launch represents a major step forward in transforming the DCO Principles for Ethical AI, endorsed by the Organization's 16 Member States earlier this year, into actionable tools for ethical AI governance. The DCO AI Ethics Evaluator is a comprehensive policy tool designed to help individuals, organizations, governments, and both public and private sectors assess and address ethical considerations in their AI systems, with a strong emphasis on human rights risks. The tool provides users with a detailed report, complete with a visual profile and tailored recommendations. During the launch event, Omar Saud Al-Omar, Minister of State for Communication Affairs of the State of Kuwait and Chairperson of the DCO Council for the 2025 term, officially announced the debut of the Evaluator. In his remarks at the high-level forum of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS+20), Al-Omar emphasized the Evaluator's importance: 'The tool aims to guide developers and users of AI technologies regarding the potential impact on human rights, alignment with ethical standards, and the application of strategies to mitigate these impacts through a structured self-assessment questionnaire covering six categories of risks based on the DCO's principles for Ethical AI.' He explained that the tool was developed through DCO research on AI governance and in consultation with experts and stakeholders. In closing, Al-Omar underlined the broader significance of the launch: 'The organization is making steady progress toward achieving its goals by turning its commitments into actions, one of which has been realized today with the launch of the DCO AI Ethics Evaluator.' Deemah AlYahya, Secretary-General of the DCO, spoke passionately about the tool's vision and ethical foundation: 'We are laying down a shared ethical foundation. Because AI without ethics is not progress, it's a threat. A threat to human dignity, to public trust, and to the very values that bind our societies together.' She emphasized the tool's accessibility and relevance for all digital economy stakeholders: 'This is not just another checklist. This is a principled stand.' 'The DCO AI Ethics Evaluator takes our Member States' shared values and turns them into real, enforceable action, confronting algorithmic bias, data exploitation, and the hidden ethical blind spots of AI. It is built on global best practices and grounded in the fundamentals of human rights. This tool gives developers, regulators, and innovators the power to transform abstract ethics into tangible accountability.' AlYahya described the Evaluator as a forward-looking compass for responsible AI: 'From fairness audits and privacy safeguards to transparency scoring and accountability mechanisms, the Evaluator guides users through real risk assessments across six critical dimensions, delivering tailored recommendations for every role in the AI lifecycle.' 'This isn't just a diagnostic, it's a compass. A tool to help nations and innovators stay on course toward human-centered, rights-driven AI. We launched it because ethical AI is not a luxury, it is urgent. It is non-negotiable. And it is a responsibility we all share.' Following Al-Omar's and AlYahya's remarks, Alaa Abdulaal, Chief of Digital Economy Intelligence at the DCO, offered a brief walk-through of how the Evaluator works: 'The future of AI will not be shaped by how fast we code, but by the values that we choose to encode. The AI Ethics Evaluator Policy Tool operationalizes the DCO principles through structured self-assessments that guide AI developers and deployers in identifying, evaluating, and mitigating ethical and human rights risks.' The launch event brought together ministers, policymakers, AI specialists, and civil society representatives from across the globe. Participants contributed meaningfully to ongoing discussions around responsible AI development. The session concluded with a strong call for cross-sector collaboration to ensure the ethical design and deployment of AI technologies. Several DCO Member States and private sector entities expressed interest in piloting the AI Ethics Evaluator in their national and organizational AI strategies. With this initiative, the DCO reaffirms its global leadership in ethical digital cooperation, ensuring that technological advancement aligns with the values of human dignity, trust, and sustainable development.
Zawya
3 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
The Digital Cooperation Organization launches the DCO AI Ethics Evaluator, a policy tool to advance ethical AI implementation
Geneva, Switzerland: The Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO), the world's first standalone international intergovernmental organization dedicated to accelerating inclusive and sustainable digital economies, officially launched its flagship DCO AI Ethics Evaluator Policy Tool at the AI for Good Summit 2025 and the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS+20) in Geneva. The Policy Tool represents a significant step forward in translating the DCO Principles for Ethical AI, which were endorsed by the Organization's 16 Member States earlier this year. The DCO AI Ethics Evaluator is a comprehensive tool designed to assist individuals, organizations, governments, public and private sectors to systematically assess and address ethical considerations related to their AI systems with a focus on human rights risks. Producing a report with visual profile and actionable recommendations. During the event, Omar Saud Al-Omar, Minister of State for Communication Affairs of the State of Kuwait, and current Chairperson of the DCO Council for the current term of 2025, announced the launch of the "DCO AI Ethics Evaluator Policy Tool". In his speech during the tool's launch at the high-level forum of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS + 2025), Al-Omar emphasized that the tool aims to guide developers and users of AI technologies regarding the potential impact on human rights, alignment with ethical standards, and the application of strategies to mitigate these impacts through a structured self-assessment questionnaire covering six categories of risks based on the DCO's principles for Ethical AI. The tool was developed based on DCO research in AI governance and extensive consultations with experts and relevant stakeholders. In conclusion, Al-Omar noted that the organization is making steady progress toward achieving its goals by turning its commitments into actions, one of which has been realized today with the launch of the DCO AI Ethics Evaluator. 'We are laying down a shared ethical foundation,' said Deemah AlYahya, Secretary-General of the DCO. 'Because AI without ethics is not progress, it's a threat. A threat to human dignity, to public trust, and to the very values that bind our societies together.' She emphasized that the Policy Tool was designed not just for governments, but for everyone shaping the digital economy, ensuring that innovation drives us forward without leaving our principles behind. 'This is not just another checklist. This is a principled stand.' AlYahya declared. 'The DCO AI Ethics Evaluator takes our Member States' shared values and turns them into real, enforceable action, confronting algorithmic bias, data exploitation, and the hidden ethical blind spots of AI. It is built on global best practices and grounded in the fundamentals of human rights. This tool gives developers, regulators, and innovators the power to transform abstract ethics into tangible accountability.' 'From fairness audits and privacy safeguards to transparency scoring and accountability mechanisms, the Evaluator guides users through real risk assessments across six critical dimensions, delivering tailored recommendations for every role in the AI lifecycle.' She added, 'This isn't just a diagnostic, it's a compass. A tool to help nations and innovators stay on course toward human-centered, rights-driven AI. We launched it because ethical AI is not a luxury, it is urgent. It is non-negotiable. And it is a responsibility we all share.' Following the Minister's remarks, Alaa Abdulaal, Chief of Digital Economy Intelligence at the DCO, offered a quick walk-through of the AI Ethics Evaluator. 'The future of AI will not be shaped by how fast we code, but by the values that we choose to encode. The AI Ethics Evaluator Policy Tool operationalizes the DCO principles through structured self-assessments that guide AI developers and deployers in identifying, evaluating, and mitigating ethical and human rights risks,' said Abdulaal. The launch event brought together ministers, policymakers, AI experts, and representatives from civil society worldwide, making meaningful contributions to the global dialogue on AI governance. The event concluded with a strong call for cross-sector collaboration to ensure the ethical development and deployment of AI technologies. Delegates from several Member States and the private sector have already expressed interest in piloting the DCO AI Ethics Evaluator in their AI governance endeavors. With the launch of the AI Ethics Evaluator, the DCO reaffirms its leadership in promoting inclusive digital cooperation and ensuring that emerging technologies serve the interests of people, societies, and sustainable development. About the Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO) The Digital Cooperation Organization is the world's first standalone international intergovernmental organization focusing on the acceleration of the growth of an inclusive and sustainable digital economy. It is a global multilateral organization founded in November 2020 that aims to enable digital prosperity for all. The DCO brings together the Ministries of Communications and Information Technology of its Member States, and is focused on empowering youth, women, and entrepreneurs, leveraging the accelerative power of the digital economy, and leapfrogging with innovation to drive economic growth and increase social prosperity. The Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO) brings together ministries of communications and information technology in 16 countries: the Kingdom of Bahrain, the People's Republic of Bangladesh, the Republic of Cyprus, the Republic of Djibouti, the Republic of The Gambia, the Republic of Ghana, the Hellenic Republic (Greece), the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the State of Kuwait, the Kingdom of Morocco, the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Sultanate of Oman, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the State of Qatar, the Republic of Rwanda, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia - collectively representing nearly $3.5 trillion in GDP and a market of nearly 800 million people, more than 70% of whom are under the age of 35. Through cooperation and strategic dialogue, we drive the facilitation of mutually advantageous cross-border legislation. The DCO seeks to establish within its Member States the optimal infrastructure and policies for the rapid creation of inclusive and equitable digital economies within which all people, businesses, and societies can innovate and thrive. The DCO's vision is to work towards a world in which every nation, business, and person has a fair opportunity to prosper in the digital economy. In pursuit of the Member States' common interests, the DCO works collaboratively with governments, the private sector, international organizations, NGOs, and civil society to enable more inclusive digital transformation and the growth of the digital economy. The DCO's key initiatives include programs to enhance cross-border data flows, promote market expansion for SMEs, empower digital entrepreneurs, and advance digital inclusion among women, and the youth, and other underrepresented populations. Since 2022, the DCO has also been granted observer status to organizations such as the United Nations General Assembly, private sector, civil society and academia, allowing them to engage in initiatives and collaborate on digital economy advancements.
Arab News
6 days ago
- Business
- Arab News
DCO launches new AI ethics tool to advance responsible technology use
GENEVA: Saudi Arabia's Digital Cooperation Organization has launched a pioneering policy tool designed to help governments, businesses and developers ensure artificial intelligence systems are ethically sound and aligned with human rights principles, it was announced on Friday. Unveiled during the AI for Good Summit 2025 and the WSIS+20 conference in Geneva, the DCO AI Ethics Evaluator marks an important milestone in the organization's efforts to translate its principles for ethical AI into practical action, it said. AI must reflect the values we share — not just the systems we build. That's why DCO's Ethical AI Initiative brings together a shared set of principles and practical tools to help developers and policymakers shape responsible, inclusive AI. Explore how we're working to ensure AI… — Digital Cooperation Organization (@dcorg) July 11, 2025 The tool is a self-assessment framework enabling users to identify and mitigate ethical risks associated with AI technologies across six key dimensions. It provides tailored reports featuring visual profiles and actionable recommendations, aiming to embed ethical considerations at every stage of AI development and deployment. Speaking at the launch, Omar Saud Al-Omar, Kuwait's minister of state for communication affairs and current chairman of the DCO Council, described the tool as a resource to help AI stakeholders 'align with ethical standards and apply strategies to mitigate human rights impacts.' He said it drew on extensive research and global consultation to address the growing demand for responsible AI governance. DCO Secretary-General Deemah Al-Yahya highlighted the urgency of the initiative: 'AI without ethics is not progress, it's a threat. A threat to human dignity, to public trust, and to the very values that bind our societies together.' She continued: 'This is not just another checklist, it is a principled stand, built on best practices and rooted in human rights, to confront algorithmic bias, data exploitation and hidden ethical blind spots in AI.' Al-Yahya emphasized the evaluator's wide applicability: 'It's not just for governments, but for anyone building our digital future — developers, regulators, innovators. This is a compass for responsible AI, because ethical standards are no longer optional. They are non-negotiable.' Alaa Abdulaal, the DCO's chief of digital economy intelligence, provided a demonstration of the tool at the launch. 'The future of AI will not be shaped by how fast we code, but by the values we choose to encode,' he said.
