Iran invites Islamic countries to join forces to develop artificial intelligence

At the 2nd Ministerial Meeting of the OIC-15 Dialogue Platform held in Tehran, Iranian First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref presented a set of five proposals aimed at forming a unified strategy for the Islamic states in the field of artificial intelligence. He emphasised that Islamic countries need to develop a common scientific and technological agenda if they want to take their rightful place in the global AI market. This is reported by Mehr News Agency, a partner of TV BRICS.

Aref said Iran sees the foundation of the Islamic world's future technological development in three key principles: joint infrastructure development, scientific integration, and multilateral cooperation.

Iran's five proposals for an Islamic technological alliance are:

• Establishment of a high-level steering group on AI under the OIC. The permanent coordinating body will develop a unified policy, analyse global trends, set a common agenda and oversee the implementation of AI initiatives among member countries;

• Development of a common roadmap for AI development. It is proposed to build a strategic plan both in the medium and long term. It should cover key areas from healthcare and agriculture to fintech and government;

• Formation of a network of research and academic centres. Universities and research institutes in the Islamic world will join together in a consortium for joint research projects, exchange of technology, human resources and educational programmes in the field of AI;

• Establishment of joint funding mechanisms. Aref suggested leveraging the Islamic Development Bank, government funds and private capital to support breakthrough projects and technology startups, including through investment in infrastructure and localisation of AI products;

• Development of an Islamic ethical charter for AI. The document should define the moral and legal framework for the use of AI, taking into account Islamic values, the protection of users' rights and the principles of transparency and social justice.

According to him, Iran alone has over 13,000 knowledge-intensive companies, over 340 research institutes, and over 63,000 researchers. The country is also shaping a national AI strategy that includes building cloud infrastructure, supporting AI startups, and regulating data and algorithms.

Aref paid special attention in his speech to the involvement of youth and women in S&T development. He noted that more than 1.8 billion people in Muslim countries are young people who can catalyse breakthroughs in AI. The need to support women in science through access to education, grants and participation in research projects was also emphasised.