Saudi Ministry of Culture issues AI ethics guide for cultural sector

The Ministry of Culture has released a guidance document titled "Ethics of Artificial Intelligence Use in the Cultural Sector," developed by the Cultural Policy Design Lab. The guide aims to establish conscious, responsible, and fair practices in deploying AI technologies within creative industries, minimize risks of misuse, and balance the benefits of AI with preserving the authenticity of Saudi creativity and culture.

The guide covers 11 cultural sectors and targets institutions, cultural practitioners, and AI technology developers. It highlights potential misuse scenarios in each sector and provides recommendations to help cultural professionals adopt new technologies responsibly, foster innovation, support sector growth, and raise awareness of ethical and unethical AI practices.

It is based on seven guiding principles: cultural safety and authenticity; ownership and attribution of creative works; transparency, interpretability, and lawful data use; ethical and fair AI deployment; using AI as a tool to empower creativity; enhancing access to cultural content; and protecting data privacy and security.

The guide emphasizes that humans remain responsible for creative vision and final artistic output, with AI serving as a supportive tool. It calls for disclosure of AI use, obtaining necessary approvals, ensuring data and output integrity, and respecting copyright and intellectual property rights.

The guide aligns with the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property's guidelines, UNESCO's Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, and relevant frameworks from the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA). It is a non-binding advisory document, with priority given to the Kingdom’s existing laws and regulations.

The release of the guide is part of the Ministry of Culture’s efforts to promote responsible use of modern technologies, reinforce human creativity, expand access to knowledge and cultural content, and contribute to heritage preservation and management. This supports building a safer, more inclusive, and sustainable digital cultural future, in line with the National Culture Strategy under Saudi Vision 2030.