Companies and Global Tech Talent Take Center Stage at Riyadh UNESCO Forum
More than 20 companies received ethics badges from the Saudi Data and AI Authority during the fourth UNESCO Global Forum on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, one of several major recognitions handed out over the four-day event in Riyadh, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
The badges recognized companies for applying ethical and regulatory principles in how they develop and deliver their products and services, and anchored a broader series of awards presented on the sidelines of the international gathering, which also honored skilled professionals and young innovators from around the world.
Earlier in the forum, the authority recognized 52 recipients of certified professional credentials in data science and engineering, with Vice President Sami Moquim presenting the badges to specialists who passed rigorous exams benchmarked against international standards. The credentialing program spans two main tracks, Data Scientist and AI Engineer, each with Assistant, Associate and Expert levels, and is designed to showcase national technical talent while aligning workforce skills with market demand.
The event also spotlighted younger talent, as the Saudi Data and AI Authority, the International Telecommunication Union and the International Center for AI Research and Ethics honored the winning teams of the AI Readiness Hackathon. The competition brought together university students from Saudi Arabia and abroad to build prototype solutions tackling challenges in education, healthcare, agriculture and finance, with entries judged on innovation, real-world applicability, societal impact and adherence to ethical standards.
Held from September 14 to 17, the forum wrapped up Thursday with discussions centered on translating high-level ethics principles into practical governance frameworks, industry applications and measurable benchmarks. Bringing together policymakers, researchers, global organizations and industry executives, the gathering aimed to strengthen international cooperation while underscoring Saudi Arabia’s growing push to build homegrown technical talent and embed ethical frameworks across its technology sector.
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