SASO to Host 10th Standards Forum on AI and Trust

The Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO) will host the 10th Standards Forum on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, in Riyadh under the theme “A Shared Vision for a Better World,” held under the patronage of Minister of Commerce and Chairman of the SASO Board of Directors Majid Al-Kassabi. The event coincides with World Standards Day, observed annually on October 14, and will bring together regulators, industry leaders, technology specialists, and international standardization experts to examine how standards can strengthen the artificial intelligence ecosystem.

This year’s forum carries the sub-theme “Standards and Artificial Intelligence: Empowering Applications and Building Trust,” signaling Saudi Arabia’s intent to place quality infrastructure at the center of its digital transformation. Why does a standards forum matter in an era defined by rapid technological change? Because the rules, benchmarks, and assurances that underpin technology determine whether innovation earns public confidence. SASO has invited interested parties and specialists to register through its official event portal at https://www.saso.gov.sa/ar/mediacenter/events/Pages/registerEvent.aspx?sasoevent=saso-events-403.aspx, reflecting the organization’s commitment to inclusive, transparent engagement with stakeholders.

Context and Background

World Standards Day has been observed every October 14 since 1970, when international standardization bodies first designated a date to honor the collaborative efforts of thousands of experts who develop voluntary technical agreements published as international standards. Is it widely understood how deeply standards shape daily life? From the safety of electrical appliances to the interoperability of telecommunications networks, standards quietly govern the reliability of modern systems. National standards bodies around the world use the occasion to highlight how standardization promotes innovation, quality, and safety across economies and societies.

SASO, established in 1972 as the Kingdom’s national standardization body, has evolved into a regional leader in metrology, conformity assessment, and quality infrastructure. Its mandate covers the development of Saudi standards, oversight of measurement systems, and the issuance of technical regulations that protect consumers and facilitate trade. The annual Standards Forum has become a flagship platform for dialogue among government entities, the private sector, academia, and international partners. Over nine previous editions, the forum has addressed themes ranging from building quality into supply chains to the role of standards in enabling renewable energy and sustainable construction.

The 10th edition arrives at a pivotal moment. Artificial intelligence is moving from experimental pilots into core public services and commercial operations, raising urgent questions about reliability, safety, transparency, and data protection. How can governments and businesses ensure that AI systems behave predictably when they are deployed at scale? Standards offer a shared language for answering that question, providing technical requirements, testing methodologies, and governance frameworks that translate broad principles into measurable practice. By dedicating its milestone forum to AI, SASO positions the Kingdom alongside leading economies that are racing to build trustworthy digital ecosystems.

Key Details

According to SASO, the forum will examine the fundamentals and priorities of the AI ecosystem and how standards can support its development. Sessions will explore ways to enhance reliability through standardization, ensure AI performance, and protect data privacy. Additional topics include enabling advanced AI applications and reviewing practical use cases across sectors such as healthcare, logistics, energy, and smart cities. The program is designed to connect technical specialists with policymakers, ensuring that standards are both rigorous and usable in real-world settings.

Minister of Commerce Majid Al-Kassabi’s patronage underscores the government’s whole-of-state approach to quality infrastructure. As Chairman of the SASO Board of Directors, Al-Kassabi oversees an organization that sits at the intersection of trade facilitation and consumer protection. His participation signals that standards are not a technical afterthought but a strategic instrument for economic competitiveness. The forum’s timing, coinciding exactly with World Standards Day, also links Saudi efforts to the global standardization community, including the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).

Registration remains open through the official SASO link, and the organization has encouraged specialists, researchers, and industry representatives to attend. Such open participation is a hallmark of SASO’s methodology: standards developed in isolation risk irrelevance, while standards shaped through broad consultation gain legitimacy and adoption. For international observers, the forum offers a window into how Saudi Arabia is building the institutional machinery required for an AI-enabled economy, one in which innovation proceeds within clear, trusted boundaries.

International and Regional Impact

Saudi Arabia’s focus on AI standards resonates far beyond its borders. The Kingdom holds a prominent position in regional and international standards organizations and has increasingly contributed to global conversations on emerging technology governance. When a major energy producer and digital investor aligns its quality infrastructure with AI, it sends a signal to markets, investors, and partner governments that the technology can be deployed responsibly. How do international standards shape cross-border trade and investment? They reduce friction by giving companies a common set of expectations, enabling products and services to move across markets with fewer redundant tests and certifications.

The forum also reinforces Saudi Arabia’s role as a convening power in the region. By inviting international experts and regional counterparts, SASO helps harmonize approaches to AI assurance, data privacy, and performance measurement. Harmonization matters because AI systems rarely respect national boundaries; a model trained in one jurisdiction may be deployed in another, making mutual recognition of standards essential. In this sense, the 10th Standards Forum contributes to a broader multilateral effort to ensure that the benefits of AI are widely shared while risks are managed through evidence-based rules.

Economic and Strategic Significance

Standards are economic infrastructure. They lower transaction costs, accelerate market entry, and build consumer trust, all of which are prerequisites for the private-sector growth that Saudi Arabia seeks. For the AI sector specifically, clear standards can unlock investment by reducing regulatory uncertainty. Companies are more willing to commit capital when they know the technical and compliance requirements they must meet. The forum’s emphasis on enabling advanced AI applications therefore has direct commercial implications, from startups developing Arabic-language models to enterprises deploying automation in industrial settings.

Data privacy is another area where standards intersect with economic strategy. As Saudi Arabia expands its digital economy, protecting personal information becomes both a legal obligation and a competitive advantage. Standards provide practical mechanisms for implementing privacy principles, such as data minimization, secure processing, and auditability. By addressing these issues publicly, SASO helps build the trust that users, businesses, and international partners need. The strategic significance extends to talent development as well: a robust standards ecosystem attracts skilled professionals who want to work in a predictable, well-governed technology environment.

Vision 2030 Alignment

The 10th Standards Forum aligns squarely with Saudi Vision 2030, which calls for a diversified, innovation-driven economy and a government that enables private-sector growth through effective regulation. Quality infrastructure supports several Vision 2030 pillars at once: it strengthens the business environment, enhances the competitiveness of Saudi exports, and improves the quality of life for citizens and residents. By leading on AI standards, SASO contributes to the Kingdom’s ambition to be a global hub for technology and a model for responsible digital governance.

As the forum convenes under the theme “A Shared Vision for a Better World,” it embodies the conviction that progress is best achieved through cooperation. Standards are, at their core, a form of international collaboration, painstakingly negotiated and continuously updated. Saudi Arabia’s investment in this work reflects a long-term perspective: the Kingdom is not merely adopting technology, it is helping define the rules that will govern it. For a world navigating the promises and perils of artificial intelligence, that contribution is both timely and consequential.

20 Questions

Q1. What is the 10th Standards Forum?

A1. The 10th Standards Forum is an event organized by the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO), held under the theme “A Shared Vision for a Better World” and coinciding with World Standards Day on October 14.

Q2. When and where will the forum take place?

A2. SASO will host the forum next Wednesday, October 14, 2026, in Riyadh, under the patronage of Minister of Commerce Majid Al-Kassabi, who chairs the SASO Board of Directors.

Q3. What is the focus of this year’s forum?

A3. The forum focuses on “Standards and Artificial Intelligence: Empowering Applications and Building Trust,” examining how standards support the AI ecosystem and enhance the reliability of AI applications.

Q4. Who is Majid Al-Kassabi?

A4. Majid Al-Kassabi is Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Commerce and Chairman of the SASO Board of Directors. He is patronizing the 10th Standards Forum, reflecting government support for quality infrastructure.

Q5. What is World Standards Day?

A5. World Standards Day is observed annually on October 14. Standardization bodies worldwide use it to highlight the role of standards in promoting innovation, quality, and safety across economies and societies.

Q6. What topics will the forum address?

A6. Sessions will cover the fundamentals and priorities of the AI ecosystem, enhancing reliability through standardization, ensuring AI performance, protecting data privacy, and enabling advanced AI applications with practical use cases.

Q7. Why are standards important for artificial intelligence?

A7. Standards provide technical requirements, testing methods, and governance frameworks that make AI systems reliable, transparent, and safe. They translate broad principles into measurable, verifiable practice for developers and regulators.

Q8. How can interested parties attend the forum?

A8. SASO invited interested parties and specialists to register through its official event portal at the provided link, ensuring broad participation from government, industry, academia, and international partners.

Q9. What is SASO’s role in Saudi Arabia?

A9. SASO is the Kingdom’s national standardization body, responsible for developing Saudi standards, overseeing metrology, issuing technical regulations, and protecting consumers while facilitating trade.

Q10. How does the forum relate to Vision 2030?

A10. The forum supports Vision 2030 by strengthening quality infrastructure, enabling innovation-driven growth, enhancing export competitiveness, and advancing responsible digital governance in line with the Kingdom’s long-term ambitions.

Q11. Why is data privacy a key topic?

A11. As AI systems process vast amounts of information, protecting personal data builds user trust and meets legal obligations. Standards offer practical tools such as data minimization, secure processing, and auditability.

Q12. What are the fundamentals of the AI ecosystem?

A12. The AI ecosystem includes data, algorithms, computing infrastructure, skilled talent, and governance. Standards help align these elements so that AI applications perform reliably and ethically across sectors.

Q13. How do standards enhance AI reliability?

A13. Standards define performance benchmarks, testing protocols, and documentation requirements. These measures allow developers to demonstrate that AI systems behave predictably and can be audited independently.

Q14. What sectors could benefit from AI standards?

A14. Healthcare, logistics, energy, smart cities, finance, and manufacturing are among the sectors that can benefit from clear AI standards, which support safety, interoperability, and efficiency.

Q15. How does the forum support international cooperation?

A15. By convening international experts and regional counterparts, the forum promotes harmonization of AI assurance approaches, helping align Saudi standards with global frameworks such as those from ISO and IEC.

Q16. What is the economic value of standardization?

A16. Standards reduce transaction costs, accelerate market entry, and build consumer confidence. For the AI sector, they lower regulatory uncertainty and encourage investment in new applications and services.

Q17. Will the forum include practical use cases?

A17. Yes. The program includes sessions on enabling advanced AI applications and exploring their use cases, connecting technical standards with real-world deployments across multiple industries.

Q18. How many editions of the Standards Forum have been held?

A18. The upcoming event is the 10th edition. Previous forums addressed themes such as supply chain quality, renewable energy standards, and sustainable construction, building a strong tradition of dialogue.

Q19. What does the theme “A Shared Vision for a Better World” signify?

A19. The theme reflects the idea that standardization is a collaborative global effort. It underscores Saudi Arabia’s commitment to working with international partners to shape rules that benefit humanity.

Q20. What is the expected outcome of the forum?

A20. The forum aims to advance understanding of AI standards, strengthen stakeholder networks, and inform future technical regulations, supporting Saudi Arabia’s goal of building a trusted, innovation-led digital economy.

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