Saudi Arabia Joins Global Research Institution Leaders in Shaping Shared Vision for AI Integrity, Openness
Kyoto, October 05, 2026, SPA -- The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia participated in the Global Summit of Research Institute Leaders, held in Kyoto, Japan, on the sidelines of the Science and Technology in Society (STS) Forum. The meeting brought together leaders from 33 research institutions worldwide to discuss the transformations driven by artificial intelligence across the scientific research ecosystem and the future of knowledge production.
The Kingdom was represented at the meeting by President of King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) and Acting Governor of the Research Development and Innovation Authority Dr. Munir Eldesouki, who joined the STS Forum Council. This step reflects the Kingdom’s growing presence on international scientific and technological platforms and strengthens its participation in discussions related to the future of research, innovation, and emerging technologies.
Held under the theme “AI Integrity and Openness,” the meeting discussed the opportunities artificial intelligence offers to accelerate discovery and scientific research, as well as the associated challenges related to the reliability of knowledge, access to computing capabilities and advanced infrastructure, data sovereignty, model openness, and the protection of researchers’ intellectual contributions.
The research institution leaders concluded their meeting by issuing a joint statement emphasizing the importance of developing a scientific ecosystem that benefits from the advanced capabilities of artificial intelligence while preserving research integrity and openness, and strengthening international cooperation to ensure broader and more equitable access to modern scientific tools and capabilities.
The statement also emphasized the importance of achieving a balance between data sovereignty and the openness of AI models, in light of the growing reliance on data and computing capabilities in scientific research. It stressed the importance of expanding access to advanced research infrastructure in ways that help reduce gaps between institutions and scientific communities.
The statement also addressed the impact of artificial intelligence on the nature of scientific discovery, highlighting the importance of ensuring fair recognition of researchers’ intellectual contributions and keeping people at the heart of the research and innovation process, so that artificial intelligence serves as a tool that enhances scientists’ capabilities rather than replacing human curiosity, thinking, and creativity.
The leaders stressed that the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence requires deeper international cooperation among research institutions and the development of principles that strengthen integrity, openness, and trust in its use, in support of responsible research and in guiding technology toward serving people and society.
The Kingdom’s participation in the meeting builds on its advanced presence in the global research, development, and innovation ecosystem, its contribution to international discussions related to the future of science and emerging technologies, and its efforts to strengthen partnerships with leading research institutions, supporting the development of a scientific ecosystem that is more open, trusted, and prepared for future transformations.
-- SPA
