中东地区人工智能发展态势与挑战

Development and Challenges of Artificial Intelligence in the Middle East

在全球数字化发展的大背景下,蓬勃发展的人工智能技术正成为引领人类社会、经济与政治发展变革的新动能,也愈发受到转型中中东各国的关注。基于发展、安全与对冲的逻辑,中东国家制定了符合各自国情的人工智能发展战略规划,并通过设立专职管理部门、出台人工智能发展适用的法律和建立监管体系、大力资助技术研发与人才培养、积极参与国际与地区人工智能治理合作等举措付诸行动,取得了初步成效。当前,中东地区人工智能发展潜力巨大,但也面临一系列内生性障碍,还可能带来固化弱势群体地位、扰动就业市场、加剧极端思想扩散等方面的社会风险和非传统安全挑战,军事化开发运用对该地区带来的安全冲击也不容忽视。从“全球南方”视角来看,中东地区既拥有人工智能领域发展实践的先锋经验,也难以避免“全球南方”所共同面临的发展困境;中东地区在本土语境中找寻优化人工智能的路径探索,将为其他“全球南方”国家发展人工智能提供相应的启示与参考。

In the backdrop of digital advancement around the globe,the burgeoning technology of artificial intelligence(AI)is emerging as a potent catalyst for reshaping societal,economic,and political landscapes,garnering increasing attention from various actors in the Middle East.Grounded in imperatives of development,security,and strategic hedging,the Middle Eastern countries have devised AI development strategies tailored to their unique national contexts.They have undertaken proactive measures such as establishing dedicated administrative bodies,crafting legal and regulatory frameworks conducive to AI advancement,robustly investing in research and development(R&D)and talent cultivation,and actively engaging in international and regional collaborations for AI governance,yielding promising initial outcomes.While presently the Middle East harbors immense potential for AI development,it confronts a host of indigenous challenges,including the potential entrenchment and stagnation of vulnerable socio-economic groups,disruptions to the labor market,and the exacerbation of extremist ideological proliferation,which pose social risks and unconventional security threats.Moreover,the security implications of militarized AI development and deployment in the region warrant serious consideration as well.From a broader perspective of"Global South",the Middle East both stands as a trailblazer in AI development practices and faces developmental obstacles shared with other developing countries.By navigating the terrain of AI optimization within their local contexts,Middle Eastern nations could offer invaluable insights and lessons to other countries in the"Global South"embarking on their AI journeys.