Riyadh has opened a new channel for global research contributions to the 2026 Global Forum on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, inviting scholars, policymakers, students and practitioners to submit work for a workshop that will place implementation of AI governance rules at the centre of debate.The International Center for AI Research and Ethics is coordinating the call with UNESCO and the International Research Centre on Artificial Intelligence, ahead of the forum scheduled in Riyadh from 14 to 17 September 2026. The workshop is set for 14 September, with submissions due by 18 July. Selected extended abstracts are scheduled for publication in the forum proceedings on 31 October.
The call covers two tracks: individual research abstracts and panel proposals. Individual abstracts must run between 500 and 1,000 words and set out the research focus, methodology or theoretical framework, along with preliminary findings or arguments. Panel proposals must present a coherent thematic session with three to four presenters, supported by a 500- to 1,000-word rationale and a 300- to 500-word abstract for each presentation. All submissions must be in English, original, unpublished and not under consideration elsewhere. Each applicant may make up to two submissions.
The 2026 forum will be held under the theme “Transforming Global Cooperation for Ethical AI Governance”, reflecting a shift in global debate from broad principles to practical systems of oversight. The agenda is expected to cover AI readiness, institutional capacity, ethical impact assessments, public administration, health, education, gender equality, youth well-being, culture, linguistic diversity, neurotechnology, sustainability, energy demand, safety and international cooperation.
The timing gives the workshop added weight. The forum coincides with the fifth anniversary of the adoption of UNESCO’s Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, endorsed by 193 countries in November 2021 as the first global normative framework for AI ethics. The recommendation has since become a reference point for policy work on transparency, fairness, human oversight, accountability, privacy, non-discrimination and the protection of human rights.
More than 75 member states have engaged with UNESCO’s Readiness Assessment Methodology, a tool designed to examine legal, social, economic, scientific and institutional capacity for AI governance. The Riyadh forum is expected to examine how those assessments have translated into policy changes, regulatory capacity and measurable safeguards, especially as generative AI, autonomous agents and AI-driven decision-making spread across public and private sectors.
The call for papers places strong emphasis on evidence-based and cross-disciplinary work. Topics include the implementation of ethical AI rules across different geographies, the role of regional organisations and multilateral institutions, governance models for high-risk AI systems, ethical impact assessments, and the adaptation of existing principles to fast-moving technical developments. Submissions may come from law, public policy, ethics, economics, social sciences, computer science, data science and related fields.
The organisers are also seeking work on how AI policy applies to sectors that carry public-interest risks. These include education systems using automated assessment tools, health services relying on predictive models, public agencies deploying decision systems, and media and communication platforms affected by synthetic content and misinformation. The rise of agentic AI has sharpened concerns over accountability, as systems increasingly perform multi-step tasks with limited human direction.
Saudi Arabia’s role as host underscores its effort to position Riyadh as a venue for global AI governance discussions. ICAIRE was established in Riyadh and later recognised as a UNESCO Category 2 centre, giving it a mandate to support research, policy dialogue and capacity building on AI ethics. The centre operates alongside wider national investments in data, digital transformation and AI infrastructure.
The forum follows earlier editions in Prague, Kranj and Bangkok, where governments, academics, civil society groups and technology companies discussed ethical AI governance from different regional and institutional perspectives. The 2026 edition is expected to draw attention to the gap between the speed of AI deployment and the slower pace of enforceable safeguards.
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