The Information and Decision Support Center (IDSC) of Egypt’s Cabinet, in partnership with the UAE’s Trends Research & Advisory Center and the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, organized a high-level seminar titled “Harnessing Artificial Intelligence for Sustainable Development: Future Visions and Concepts.” This event brought together influential policymakers, experts, and industry leaders to explore the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in advancing sustainable development objectives globally.
Key Discussions and Insights:
Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, Egypt’s Minister of Planning and Economic Development and Minister of International Cooperation, opened the seminar by emphasizing the pivotal role of AI in shaping the future trajectory of humanity. She acknowledged that AI has emerged as a fundamental driver of the global economy, particularly in the face of escalating environmental and developmental challenges. Dr. Al-Mashat underscored the role of AI in offering innovative solutions for sustainable development, focusing on the need to balance current demands with the needs of future generations. She also highlighted Egypt’s concerted efforts to enhance its digital infrastructure and expand its renewable energy capacity, especially in wind and solar energy sectors, while also investing in human capital development. Dr. Al-Mashat cited a recent statement by President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, who called for the creation of a digital society underpinned by AI to improve performance across all sectors, contributing to long-term sustainable growth.
Ambassador Mariam Al-Kaabi, UAE Ambassador to Egypt, shared insights into the UAE’s pioneering approach to AI, highlighting the establishment of the world’s first Ministry of Artificial Intelligence in 2017, alongside the launch of a comprehensive national strategy designed to enhance government performance and foster innovation. She also raised important questions regarding AI’s role in either connecting or isolating communities and its impact on the workforce. Ambassador Al-Kaabi stressed the importance of carefully managing AI’s opportunities and addressing the challenges it presents to ensure equitable and inclusive progress.
Dr. Ahmed Zayed, Director of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina and Member of the Senate, emphasized AI’s critical role in supporting social and economic development. He discussed AI’s potential to provide effective solutions for pressing global challenges such as poverty, hunger, and climate change. Dr. Zayed also highlighted AI’s contribution to enhancing food security through improved resource management and increased agricultural productivity. He called for increased public awareness, particularly among youth, about the social implications of AI, including privacy concerns and the risks of social isolation, and advocated for the establishment of ethical frameworks to govern its use.
Dr. Mohamed Al-Kuwaiti, Head of the UAE Cybersecurity Council, addressed the growing importance of AI in delivering essential services in sectors such as education, healthcare, and transportation. He emphasized the need for strong governance frameworks and clear regulatory policies to ensure the safe and effective deployment of AI technologies. Dr. Al-Kuwaiti also underscored the critical role of cybersecurity, noting that cyberattacks now result in losses that surpass traditional economic damages. He highlighted the UAE’s proactive approach to developing advanced strategies that leverage AI to enhance innovation and address global challenges.
Dr. Mohamed Abdullah Al-Ali, CEO of Trends Research & Advisory Center, characterized AI as a transformative opportunity for humanity to achieve significant progress. However, he cautioned that AI also presents new challenges that require international cooperation to address effectively. Dr. Al-Ali emphasized the importance of partnerships between countries and research institutions to exchange knowledge and best practices, ensuring the responsible and optimal use of AI in achieving global sustainable development goals. He stressed that tackling global challenges, whether economic or technological, requires a collective, international effort to foster stability and achieve common objectives.
Dr. Osama El-Gohary, Assistant to the Prime Minister and Head of the IDSC, discussed the importance of integrating AI into decision-making processes to enhance accuracy and efficiency, particularly in areas such as economic forecasting and data analysis. Dr. El-Gohary highlighted the IDSC’s ongoing development of advanced AI models aimed at improving the capacity for forecasting future economic trends and analyzing financial and market dynamics. He also noted the increasing reliance on big data analytics, which allows for the extraction of valuable insights from vast datasets, as a key tool in the IDSC’s operations. Furthermore, he pointed out the use of text mining techniques to analyze textual content from diverse sources—such as economic reports and news articles—to identify patterns and trends that inform policymaking.
The seminar concluded with a consensus on the strategic importance of AI in achieving sustainable development. Participants emphasized the need for a thoughtful and coordinated approach to leveraging AI technologies to maximize their potential benefits while mitigating associated risks. The discussions also underscored the critical need for robust cybersecurity measures, international cooperation, and heightened public awareness regarding the safe and ethical use of AI.
