Global Leaders Urge Transparent, Trustworthy, and Human-centered AI

News

1. 80% of Middle East Cyberattacks Result in Data Breaches, Warns New Study

2. Global leaders convene in Abu Dhabi for inaugural Governance of Emerging Technologies Summit

3. Gulf Nations Fast-Track AI Ambitions, UAE Leads Regional Readiness, says BCG Report

4. AI Professionals form a Redefined Workforce. But Systemic Roadblocks Persist, Survey Finds

5. AI-Driven Scams Surge as Microsoft Blocks $4 Billion in Fraud Attempts

6. Identity-based Attacks Account for 60% of Leading Cyber Threats, Report Finds

The inaugural Governance of Emerging Technologies Summit (GETS) in Abu Dhabi brought together global leaders, policymakers, technologists, and legal experts to explore how emerging technologies—from AI and quantum computing to the metaverse—can be responsibly governed in an increasingly digital world. 

As industry leaders and experts explored different domains, the common thread in various discussions was that AI’s long-term success is contingent upon our acknowledgement that people are critical in its design, operation, and use, as well as building trust.

Key Challenges in Governing AI and Cybersecurity

In a compelling keynote, H.E. Dr. Mohammed Al Kuwaiti, Head of the UAE Cybersecurity Council, emphasized the mounting digital threats, from cybercrime and cyberterrorism to state-backed cyber warfare. He described how AI reshapes both defense and offense in cyberspace and underscored the critical need for international collaboration, stating, “We must foster a cybersecurity culture, build strong governance, and work collectively to prosecute international cybercrime.”

Speakers pointed to the urgent need for agility in governance. Ned Farhat, Founder and Director of CyberSage, said, “The greatest challenge is the speed of innovation—and the speed of funding these innovations.” He noted that governments often move at a pace far behind that of cybercriminals and emphasized the need for faster, more adaptive systems that can keep up.

The regulatory landscape took center stage in conversations around the EU AI Act, with its lead author Gabriele Mazzini reflecting on its global resonance. He described the Act as the world’s “first comprehensive legal framework” for AI and acknowledged its complexity and limitations. While many governments assess its merits, Mazzini cautioned that “AI is so value-driven—it reflects trust, but also who we are as societies… one single piece of legislation won’t serve as the global benchmark.”

Other experts echoed the call for governance models that can evolve with the technology. Marc Rotenberg, Executive Director of the Center for AI and Digital Policy, emphasized the difficulty of governing probabilistic and opaque AI systems. He noted that while “human-centered and trustworthy AI” is the global goal, the hardest challenges lie in achieving “transparency and accountability for systems we don’t fully understand, and for which we don’t yet have metrics to evaluate.”

Global Perspectives on AI Regulation and Human Rights

Framing these discussions through a human rights lens, H.E. Maqsoud Kruse, Chairperson of the National Human Rights Institution, urged participants to confront the philosophical implications of AI. Referencing the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, he reminded the audience that science and human dignity have long been intertwined. He posed a critical question: “Are we advancing human rights at the heart of AI thinking, or is AI going to shape human rights?” His remarks underscored technological progress’s moral and ethical dimensions and the risks of neglecting them.

In a keynote exploring AI regulation, Dr. Hakim Hacid, Chief Researcher at the Technology Innovation Institute, argued that innovation should not be stifled by rigid regulation. 

Before building entirely new ones, he stressed the importance of adapting existing legal frameworks, such as those used in data protection, banking, and cybersecurity. “We need to distinguish between regulating usage and stopping innovation,” he said, adding that education and awareness are critical to ensure AI tools are used ethically and effectively.

The summit highlighted the UAE’s leadership in global tech governance, rooted in a firm belief that collaboration, not isolation, is key. Across keynotes and panels, there was a strong consensus that the governance of emerging technologies must be principled, adaptive, and globally inclusive, balancing safety with innovation, and rights with opportunity.

The summit concluded with a call to action: to develop governance that is both technically sound and socially grounded, where human dignity, trust, and accountability form the foundation of the digital future.