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AI risks from an Arab world perspective

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Mohammed A. Al-Qarni
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Author
Mohammed A. Al-Qarni

AI risks from an Arab world perspective

Author
Mohammed A. Al-Qarni
AI risks from an Arab world perspective
Data is a significant factor in the peril of AI systems, particularly regarding value misalignment. (Shutterstock image)
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https://arab.news/4t28r

Imagine a future where machines work alongside us and make decisions that shape our societies, economies and even our daily lives. This is the promise and peril of artificial intelligence as it stands at the brink of transforming our world.

AI is offering unprecedented advancements across various sectors. However, this rapid development also brings significant risks. As the Arab world steps into this new era, it is crucial to understand these risks and their direct implications for our region’s unique context.

Unlike traditional software, which operates within predefined parameters set by developers, making its behavior more predictable and easier to control, AI systems, especially advanced ones, have the potential to make autonomous decisions that can significantly impact human lives, societies and ethical standards.

Therefore, we need to talk about AI values in a way that we do not typically discuss software values.

AI systems, particularly those involving machine learning and neural networks, can evolve and learn from data, leading to behaviors that are not explicitly programmed. Data is a significant factor in the peril of AI systems, particularly regarding value misalignment.

However, it is not the only factor. The overall alignment of AI systems with human values also depends on designing and implementing algorithms, training processes and other technical and ethical considerations.

Most AI systems are developed outside the Arab world, primarily in regions with different cultural, social and ethical values. This can lead to a significant misalignment between the values embedded in these systems and those of the Arab world.

The social and cultural fabric of the Arab world is deeply rooted in community values, ethics and traditions. Introducing advanced AI systems raises questions about their alignment with these values.

Systems developed in the West or in East Asia may not fully understand or respect the cultural norms and values of the Arab world. This can result in AI behaviors or culturally insensitive or inappropriate decisions.

Moreover, AI applications require a deep understanding of local contexts to function effectively and ethically. Without this, systems might make decisions that overlook important regional nuances.

The ethical frameworks guiding AI development in other regions might differ significantly from those in the Arab world. This can lead to AI systems that make decisions based on ethical principles not fully aligned with local values.

To address the potential misalignment, the Arab world needs to invest in local AI research and development to create systems aligned with regional values and contexts. This includes training local talent and establishing research institutions focused on culturally aware AI.

We are not advocating for decoupled AI development. On the contrary, working with international AI developers is paramount to ensure that the systems they create are adaptable to different cultural contexts.

The Arab world needs to invest in local AI research and development to create systems aligned with regional values and contexts.

Mohammed A. Al-Qarni

This collaboration can help integrate local values and norms into global AI systems. Such collaboration would require developing ethical guidelines for AI development and deployment that reflect the values and priorities of the Arab world. Such guidelines can serve as a benchmark for evaluating and adopting AI technologies from other regions.

As the science fiction writer William Gibson said: “The future is already here — it’s just not very evenly distributed.”

AI is the future, so we cannot fight it. Many experts and analysts describe its impact on the economy as akin to electrification and the industrial revolution. This comparison holds substantial merit.

Like electricity and the industrial revolution, AI has the potential to influence virtually every industry. From healthcare and finance to transportation and manufacturing, AI technologies are being integrated into various sectors, transforming how they operate.

AI can automate complex tasks, optimize processes and enable new levels of efficiency and productivity, driving substantial economic growth.

The promise of AI goes beyond traditional industries to enable the development of new technologies and industries, such as autonomous vehicles, personalized medicine and intelligent infrastructure.

The Arab world is undergoing a significant economic transformation, diversifying away from oil. Given AI’s potential, it can play a crucial role in this transition, but also faces the prospect of workforce displacement and economic disparity.

As AI is integrated into industries, managing its adoption to enhance productivity while creating new job opportunities and upskilling the workforce must be strategically managed.

Automation should be balanced with efforts to reskill workers and integrate them into new roles created by AI advancements.

The promised economic benefits of AI must be distributed equitably across different segments of society, preventing widening economic disparities.

These requirements can only be met by developing educational programs that prepare the workforce for the AI-driven future. This includes integrating AI literacy into school curriculums and offering specialized training programs in AI and related fields.

Policies and programs should be developed to support those most affected by AI-induced changes in the labor market. This might include supporting small- and medium-sized enterprises in adopting AI technologies and ensuring that rural and underserved areas can access AI resources and training.

The Arab world’s human capital must be enabled to innovate in the AI space and not remain a passive recipient of globally developed systems, encouraging the development of innovation hubs and ecosystems that support AI research, development and entrepreneurship. This can help drive economic growth and create new job opportunities in the AI sector.

In short, as the Arab world embraces AI’s transformative potential, it is crucial to consider the associated risks from a regional perspective.

By developing robust regulatory frameworks, fostering cultural sensitivity and ensuring equitable economic benefits, the region can harness AI’s potential while safeguarding against its potential harms.

Engaging with global thought leaders and adopting best practices will further enhance the region’s ability to navigate the complex landscape of AI risks and opportunities.

• Mohammed A. Al-Qarni is an academic and consultant on AI for business
 

Disclaimer: Views expressed by writers in this section are their own and do not necessarily reflect Arab News' point of view

Pope has coffee, rests after setback in recovery — a bronchial spasm requiring further ventilation

Pope has coffee, rests after setback in recovery — a bronchial spasm requiring further ventilation
Updated 3 min 15 sec ago
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Pope has coffee, rests after setback in recovery — a bronchial spasm requiring further ventilation

Pope has coffee, rests after setback in recovery — a bronchial spasm requiring further ventilation
Updated 3 min 15 sec ago
Doctors said it would take a day or two to evaluate how and if the Friday afternoon episode impacted Francis’ overall clinical condition
His prognosis remained guarded, meaning he wasn’t out of danger

ROME: Pope Francis had coffee and was reading newspapers Saturday after an alarming setback in his two-week recovery from double pneumonia.
Doctors had to put him on noninvasive mechanical ventilation following a coughing fit in which he inhaled vomit that needed to then be extracted.
Doctors said it would take a day or two to evaluate how and if the Friday afternoon episode impacted Francis’ overall clinical condition. His prognosis remained guarded, meaning he wasn’t out of danger.
In its morning update Saturday, the Vatican said the 88-year-old pope didn’t have any further respiratory crises overnight: “The night has passed quietly, the pope is resting.” He had coffee in the morning for breakfast, suggesting that he was not dependent on a ventilation mask to breathe and was still eating on his own.
In the late Friday update, the Vatican said Francis suffered an “isolated crisis of bronchial spasm,” a coughing fit in which Francis inhaled vomit, that resulted in a “sudden worsening of the respiratory picture.” Doctors aspirated the vomit and placed Francis on noninvasive mechanical ventilation.
The pope remained conscious and alert at all times and cooperated with the maneuvers to help him recover. He responded well, with a good level of oxygen exchange and was continuing to wear a mask to receive supplemental oxygen, the Vatican said.
The episode, which occurred in the early afternoon, marked a setback in what had been two successive days of increasingly upbeat reports from doctors treating Francis at Rome’s Gemelli hospital since Feb. 14. The pope, who had part of one lung removed as a young man, has lung disease and was admitted after a bout of bronchitis worsened and turned into pneumonia in both lungs.
Doctors say the episode is alarming
The Vatican said the episode was different from the prolonged respiratory crisis on Feb. 22, that was said to have caused Francis discomfort.
Dr. John Coleman, a pulmonary critical care doctor at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago, said the isolated episode Friday as relayed by the Vatican was nevertheless alarming and underscored Francis’ fragility and that his condition “can turn very quickly.”
“I think this is extremely concerning, given the fact that the pope has been in the hospital now for over two weeks, and now he’s continuing to have these respiratory events and now had this aspiration event that is requiring even higher levels of support,” he told The Associated Press.
“So given his age and his fragile state and his previous lung resection, this is very concerning,” added Coleman, who is not involved in Francis’ care.
Dr. William Feldman, a pulmonary specialist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, said it was a good sign that the pope remained alert and oriented during the episode, but concurred that it marked “a worrying turn.”
“Often we will use noninvasive ventilation as a way of trying to stave off an intubation, or the use of invasive mechanical ventilation,” Feldman said.
Types of noninvasive ventilation include a BiPAP machine, which helps people breathe by pushing air into their lungs. Doctors will often try such a machine for a while to see if the patient’s blood gas levels improve so they can eventually go back to using oxygen alone. Friday’s statement said Francis showed a “good response” to the gas exchange using the ventilation.
Doctors did not resume referring to Francis being in “critical condition,” which has been absent from their statements for three days now. But they say he isn’t out of danger, given the complexity of his case.
Prayers continued to pour in
Francis’ hospitalization has come as the Vatican is marking its Holy Year that is drawing pilgrims to Rome from all over. They are walking through the Holy Door at St. Peter’s Basilica and also making pilgrimages to the hilltop Umbrian town of Assisi, to pray at the home of Francis’ namesake, St. Francis.
“Every day we’re praying for the pope,” said the Rev. Jacinto Bento, a priest visiting Assisi on Saturday with a group of 30 Jubilee pilgrims from the Azores Islands. “We’re very sad for his situation.”
Veronica Abraham, a catechist and Argentine native, came to Assisi on Saturday with her two children and other kids from her parish on Lake Garda and said the group had prayed for the pope at every church they’d visited.
“I’m sure that he’s hearing our prayers, that he feels our closeness,” she said.
Serena Barbon, visiting Assisi from Treviso on Saturday with her husband and three children, said she hoped that if Francis doesn’t make it, the next pope will be just like him.
“He’s been very charismatic and we pray for him and that any new pope might also be someone who puts the poor in the center. Because we’re all a bit the poor,” she said.

Russia says Zelensky trip to US was ‘complete failure’

Russia says Zelensky trip to US was ‘complete failure’
Updated 7 min 35 sec ago
AFP
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Russia says Zelensky trip to US was ‘complete failure’

Russia says Zelensky trip to US was ‘complete failure’
  • Zelensky’s visit to Washington on Feb. 28 is a complete political failure, Zakharova said
Updated 7 min 35 sec ago
AFP

MOSCOW: Russia said Saturday that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s trip to the United States had been a complete “failure,” after US President Donald Trump berated him in a stunning televised confrontation.
“The visit of the head of the neo-Nazi regime, V. Zelensky, to Washington on February 28 is a complete political and diplomatic failure of the Kyiv regime,” Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement.

Topics: Russia-Ukraine Conflict Maria Zakharova Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky US President Donald Trump

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Pakistan’s internet industry body seeks reforms amid digital connectivity crisis

Pakistan’s internet industry body seeks reforms amid digital connectivity crisis
Updated 20 min 43 sec ago
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Pakistan’s internet industry body seeks reforms amid digital connectivity crisis

Pakistan’s internet industry body seeks reforms amid digital connectivity crisis
  • Internet service providers’ association says only two operators are controlling Pakistan’s digital connectivity
  • It seeks a second internet gateway in Gwadar, asks regulators to negotiate bandwidth in local currency
Updated 20 min 43 sec ago
NAIMAT KHAN

KARACHI: Pakistan’s ongoing internet crisis, marked by soaring costs and sluggish speeds, stems from structural issues in which two operators control the gateway to global connectivity, the country’s internet service providers’ association said this week.

Pakistan is heavily reliant on digital connectivity for economic growth. However, the Wireless and Internet Service Providers Association of Pakistan (WISPAP) said in a statement users were getting an average speed of just 20-30 megabits per second (Mbps), which was significantly lower than that of countries like Bangladesh in the region where speeds reach 50 Mbps, despite Pakistanis paying nearly twice as much for the service.

WISPAP warned against the “near-duopoly” of Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) and Transworld Associates (TWA), saying it had led to monopolistic pricing, restricting competition and keeping internet services expensive and inefficient.

Its assertion comes as Africa-1, a new undersea cable system, recently landed in Pakistan, promising additional bandwidth, though the association said it would only benefit the two existing gatekeepers of global connectivity.

“Ban gatekeepers from overcharging or locking out rivals,” the statement prepared on Tuesday quoted Shahzad Arshad, WISPAP chairman, as saying. “Fair rules mean fair rates.”

Pakistan’s internet infrastructure is centered around Karachi, where PTCL and TWA manage the country’s seven undersea fiber-optic cable connections and two smaller overland links.

Arshad noted the lack of competition allows these operators to set high prices for bandwidth, which internet service providers (ISPs) must purchase before distributing internet services to consumers.

WISPAP also proposed policy recommendations, including creating a second internet gateway in Gwadar, saying it would reduce broadband costs by 30 percent in five years.

“Invite new operators, local or foreign, with tax breaks,” its chairman suggested. “PTCL and TWA will have to fight for customers, not just cash them out.”

Additionally, the group urged regulators to follow Malaysia’s model of negotiating bandwidth in local currency, shielding ISPs from volatile exchange rates.

“Cut the dollar leash, and ISPs save 20% overnight,” Arshad said. “That’s cheaper Wi-Fi for every household.”

Pakistan’s internet crisis has far-reaching consequences for businesses, impacting sectors such as e-commerce, fintech and freelancing. The country’s freelance industry, which generated $1.2 billion in 2024, is particularly vulnerable to unreliable connectivity.

WISPAP estimates that affordable, high-speed internet could double freelancing revenue to $2.5 billion by 2030, while also bringing 10 million more Pakistanis online.

Topics: Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Pakistan internet

Turkiye to repeat offer to host Ukraine-Russia peace talks at London summit, source says

Turkiye to repeat offer to host Ukraine-Russia peace talks at London summit, source says
Updated 24 min 49 sec ago
Reuters
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Turkiye to repeat offer to host Ukraine-Russia peace talks at London summit, source says

Turkiye to repeat offer to host Ukraine-Russia peace talks at London summit, source says
  • Ankara has welcomed the US initiative to end the war
  • On Sunday, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will brief European leaders on Turkiye’s efforts to find a “fair and lasting peace” to the war
Updated 24 min 49 sec ago
Reuters

ANKARA: Turkiye’s foreign minister will reiterate at Sunday’s meeting of European leaders in London an offer from Ankara to host peace talks between Ukraine and Russia, a Turkish diplomatic source said on Saturday.
NATO-member Turkiye hosted initial talks between the sides months after Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine, helping secure a deal for the safe passage of grain exports in the Black Sea. It has said any future peace talks must include both countries.
While repeatedly calling for a ceasefire since 2024, Ankara has welcomed the US initiative to end the war, which was derailed by a public argument between the presidents of Ukraine and the United States in Washington on Friday.
On Sunday, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will brief European leaders on Turkiye’s efforts to find a “fair and lasting peace” to the war, the source said, adding he will also affirm Ankara’s commitment to Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.
Fidan is expected to “underline that Turkiye, which hosted direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine in March 2022, is ready to take up this role in the coming period,” and emphasize that all parties must jointly focus on lasting regional security and stability, as well as economic prosperity, in negotiations, the person added.
A Black Sea littoral state like Ukraine and Russia, Turkiye has maintained good ties with both since the start of the war. It has provided Kyiv with military support, while refusing to participate in Western sanctions against Moscow.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited Turkiye last month, on the same day US and Russian representatives met for talks — without Kyiv’s participation — in Riyadh aimed at ending the war.
On Monday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also held talks in Ankara. On Saturday, Fidan and Lavrov discussed the latest developments around the Ukraine-Russia war in a phone call, the source said, marking the third contact between them in the past two weeks.
On Thursday, delegations from the United States and Russia met in Istanbul for talks aimed at addressing bilateral issues regarding the operations of their respective embassies.
Zelensky said last week that he saw Turkiye as an important security guarantor for Ukraine.

Topics: Russia-Ukraine Conflict Hakan Fidan Turkiye London

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Zelensky moves on after Oval Office blowout with Trump

Zelensky moves on after Oval Office blowout with Trump
Updated 37 min 2 sec ago
AP
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Zelensky moves on after Oval Office blowout with Trump

Zelensky moves on after Oval Office blowout with Trump
  • Zelensky on Saturday arrived in London for a summit organized by British PM
  • “If anyone is gambling with World War III, his name is Vladimir Putin,” Macron said
Updated 37 min 2 sec ago
AP

LONDON: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked the American people and leadership and voiced hope for “strong relations,” a day after an astonishing Oval Office blowout with US President Donald Trump that left many uncertain where the once staunch allies stood.
Zelensky on Saturday arrived in London for a summit organized by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer with other European leaders.
The summit on Sunday will also include leaders from France, Germany, Denmark, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Turkiye, Finland, Sweden, Czechia and Romania, as well as the NATO secretary-general and the presidents of the European Commission and European Council.
The shouting match that unfolded Friday in the final minutes of the highly anticipated meeting between Trump and Zelensky seemed to dash, at least for now, Ukrainian hopes that the United States could be locked in as a reliable partner in helping fend off, and conclude, Russia’s three-year onslaught.

Macron suggests that Putin, not Zelensky, is gambling with World War III
French President Emmanuel Macron said if someone is gambling with World War III, it is not Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky but more likely his Russian counterpart.
Macron reacted to Friday’s heated exchange between US President Donald Trump and Zelensky in the Oval Office, during which Trump accused Zelensky of “gambling with World War III.”
“If anyone is gambling with World War III, his name is Vladimir Putin,” Macron told Portugal’s RTP news channel during a visit to Lisbon ahead of Sunday’s Ukraine summit of European leaders in London.
Macron said he still hopes that the United States will remain committed to the defense of democracy.
“My hope is that the United States of America will continue to stand by its history and its principles,” he said. “Whenever we have had major conflicts, the United States of America has been on the right side of history and freedom.”

Turkish foreign minister discusses Ukraine with Lavrov
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Saturday spoke to his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov about the war in Ukraine, officials said.
The phone call came a day before Fidan is due to attend a London summit of European leaders to discuss bringing the three-year conflict to an end.
Turkiye, which has close ties to both Ukraine and Russia, has previously offered to mediate talks. It hosted unsuccessful peace talks in 2022.

Zelensky expresses his thanks to the US people
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky voiced thanks to the “American people” and leadership, and hope for “strong relations,” less than a day after an astonishing Oval Office blowout with Trump that left many uncertain where the once staunch allies stood.
Ukraine had walked into the meeting prepared to sign a mineral deal with the US, hoping it would be a step toward a just ceasefire, but left empty handed.
In a series of posts on X on Saturday, Zelensky said Ukrainians are “very grateful to the United States for all the support,” and specifically thanked Trump and Congress alongside the “American people.”
“Our relationship with the American President is more than just two leaders: It’s a historic and solid bond between our peoples. … American people helped save our people,” he said. “We want only strong relations with America and I really hope we will have them,” he added.
Zelensky arrives in the UK ahead of schedule to meet with Starmer
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer plans to meet Saturday afternoon with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky following the dramatic blowout with President Donald Trump at the White House.
Zelensky’s plane with the Ukrainian flag on its tail landed at London Stansted Airport the morning after the diplomatic spat on live TV.
Zelensky had been due to meet with Starmer on Sunday, hours before taking part in a London summit of European leaders to discuss how to ensure a peaceful end to the war and provide security across the continent.
But the timetable for their bilateral meeting was apparently sped up in the aftermath of the Washington visit.

Topics: Russia-Ukraine Conflict Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky US President Donald Trump French President Emmanuel Macron London

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