From September 14 to 17, 2026, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, hosted the fourth edition of the UNESCO Global Forum on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, under the theme “Transforming Global Cooperation for the Ethical Governance of AI.” The event was co-organized with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, through the Saudi Data & AI Authority (SDAIA) and the International Center for AI Research and Ethics (ICAIRE).

Over the course of four days, the Forum brought together representatives from governments, the private sector, civil society, the scientific community, and academic institutions to explore ways to translate the ethical principles of artificial intelligence into concrete mechanisms for governance and implementation.

The discussions provided an opportunity to share international practices, experiences, and perspectives across three main areas: governance, institutions, and AI accountability; society, inclusion, and human development; and sustainability and international cooperation. This fourth edition thus provided a forum for multilateral dialogue on the challenges associated with the responsible development and deployment of artificial intelligence, while highlighting the importance of international cooperation in the development of ethical governance frameworks.

Were you unable to follow the Forum? To continue the discussion and learn more about the debates that took place there, UNESCO has made the complete session schedule and recordings of the plenary sessions held in the main hall available on the Forum’s official page.