Arab News | AI’s human cost takes center stage in Riyadh

RIYADH: As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly embedded in everyday life, discussions in Riyadh are shifting from what the technology can do to how it should be developed and used, with well-being, cultural diversity and human interaction emerging as key ethical concerns.

At LEAP and UNESCO’s AI Ethics Forum, technology leaders, policymakers and ethicists examined the challenges surrounding AI’s rapid development, including concerns over prolonged user engagement, emotional dependence and the representation of different cultures and languages.

At the recently concluded LEAP, Hani Chihabi, CEO and co-founder of Thaura.ai, made the case for smaller AI platforms built around differentiation from larger companies, arguing that their approach can place greater emphasis on engagement, cultural diversity and mental health.

Speaking to Arab News, Chihabi explained a key principle behind Thaura.ai: “It should serve us, it should not be the other way around.”

Founded by Hani Chihabi and his brother, Said Chihabi, Thaura.ai positions itself as an ethical alternative to mainstream AI platforms. The company uses existing open-source large language models rather than training its own from scratch.

Chihabi described Thaura.ai’s approach as a “constitution” for the open-source models it uses, intended to align their responses with the company’s principles.

One focus is limiting prolonged interactions designed primarily to keep users engaged. Chihabi told Arab News: “It provides you the value and that’s it. It doesn’t try to keep you hooked,” he said.

The concern extends beyond business models. Dr. Dafna Feinholz, UNESCO’s chief of bioethics and ethics of science and technology, told Arab News at the UNESCO AI Ethics Forum in Riyadh that the design of AI systems can encourage excessive engagement.

“This addictive programming that is really trying to keep engaged people” is a concern, she said.

Feinholz said prolonged interaction with AI chatbots could shift users away from conventional forms of social interaction. She also warned against replacing human emotional support with AI.

“If they are using it to have a conversation or some emotional support, that’s not good, because emotional support and friendship, it’s much more than that,” she said.

For Feinholz, the ethical framework for AI should address whether technology preserves human rights, contributes to well-being and avoids causing harm.

“These rules of ethics apply to big companies and to small companies,” Feinholz said.

As the industry debates the pace at which increasingly capable AI models are being developed and released, Feinholz said attention should also focus on how those systems are developed and tested.

Cultural and linguistic representation is another part of the debate. Chihabi said Thaura.ai’s significant Arab user base reflects its focus on building technology rooted in the region, rather than relying exclusively on international platforms.

“We can build our own infrastructure and don’t always have to depend on Western technology,” he said.

For UNESCO, diversity is similarly central to the ethics of AI. Feinholz emphasized the importance of ensuring that technology reflects different cultures and languages.

“It should not be only one language, and it should not be only one culture,” she said.

The debate has particular relevance in Saudi Arabia as the Kingdom develops its own AI ecosystem and seeks to strengthen Arabic-language capabilities and cultural representation in emerging technologies such as Humain.

The discussions in Riyadh underscored that the AI debate is extending beyond innovation and speed to questions of human well-being, cultural diversity and responsible development — issues that will shape how the technology is integrated into everyday life.