Doha: The world will celebrate World Creativity and Innovation Day tomorrow, as the United Nations has designated April 21 of each year as a global day to highlight the use of creative thinking and technology towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
According to Qatar News Agency, President of the Arab Federation for Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Programming, Dr. Badr bin Dalham Al Hajri, confirmed in an exclusive statement that the Arab world is currently experiencing a delicate transitional phase between possessing the tools of the modern age and being able to employ them to produce real value. He noted the remarkable development in digital infrastructure and investments related to innovation, while also acknowledging a gap in knowledge production and transforming ideas into globally competitive products.
Dr. Al Hajri emphasized that Qatar is presenting an advanced model by moving from adoption to the initiative stage, seeking to consolidate its position as a regional center for innovation. This ambition is being realized not only through investment in technology but also by building an integrated system linking education with scientific research and industry, aligning with the federation's efforts.
He highlighted Qatar's advanced cultural and creative infrastructure, including significant investments in education and research and a regulatory environment conducive to experimentation and creativity. AI, he explained, can play a pivotal role in preserving Arab cultural heritage by digitizing content and analyzing cultural data, supporting the diversity of Arabic languages, and ensuring wider access to cultural content.
Dr. Al Hajri also discussed AI's potential to expand the boundaries of creativity in arts and cultural industries, shifting from individual talent-based creativity to collaborative creativity that integrates human sensibility with machine capabilities. He stressed that while AI frees creators from technical constraints, it cannot replace human experience or emotional depth.
He described the relationship between the creative economy and smart technologies as one of strategic integration, where technology enhances efficiency and market reach, while creative content adds value. In the Arab region, vast cultural and human wealth can be transformed into economic products with a global reach, provided AI is employed in areas like digital production and marketing.
Dr. Al Hajri underscored AI's role in empowering young creators by providing low-cost production tools and smart platforms, reducing the gap between talent and opportunity, and enhancing success and continuity prospects. He called for a balanced legislative and ethical framework to protect creators' rights and promote transparency in AI use.
He further explained that AI's influence on Arab cultural identity is limited to the tools for expressing identity, while cultural identity itself is formed through history and societal experience. The real challenge is to use technology to enhance Arab identity's presence in the digital space.
Cultural institutions, he noted, can leverage AI to achieve Sustainable Development Goals by developing cultural education, expanding access to knowledge, and supporting initiatives for empowering women and youth. He emphasized the need for an integrated partnership model where humans and machines enhance each other's capabilities.
World Creativity and Innovation Day serves as an occasion to celebrate new ideas promoting social, economic, and environmental development, and invites everyone to think outside the box, take risks, and explore new opportunities. The Arab Federation for AI and Programming, affiliated with the Council of Arab Economic Unity, aims to promote Arab cooperation in AI and programming to support digital transformation and sustainable development in the region.