GENEVA — Saudi Minister of Human Resources and Social Development Ahmed Al-Rajhi emphasized the importance of responsible artificial intelligence in shaping a more inclusive, productive, and sustainable future of work.
He made the remarks on Thursday while addressing a plenary session at the 114th Session of the International Labor Conference (ILC), being held from June 1 to 12, in Geneva. Al-Rajhi heads the Saudi delegation attending the conference and the delegation includes representatives of the three production parties: governments, employers, and workers.
The minister highlighted Saudi Arabia’s designation of 2026 as the Year of Artificial Intelligence, reflecting the Kingdom’s commitment to harnessing advanced technologies to serve people, development, and quality of life, and support a more sustainable and inclusive future. Al-Rajhi welcomed the report of the Director General of the International Labor Organization, titled “A moment of choice: Harnessing artificial intelligence for decent work,” noting that artificial intelligence presents significant opportunities to improve productivity and labor market efficiency while also posing challenges that require balanced and responsible policies.
“The future of work in the age of artificial intelligence will not be determined by technology alone, but by the ability to invest in people, develop skills, enhance protections, and ensure that technological transformation creates quality and sustainable jobs,” Al-Rajhi stated.
Al-Rajhi highlighted the National Skills Platform, which uses artificial intelligence to support skills records, learning pathways, and skills assessments, alongside the development of the Saudi Classification of Skills and Occupations to keep pace with labor market transformation.
Al-Rajhi also underscored the Kingdom’s use of modern technologies and artificial intelligence to advance compliance and protect labor rights, including digital tools and predictive analytics that help identify risks, improve inspection efficiency, and detect irregular practices at an early stage.
Recent initiatives include the continued implementation of the Labor Market Strategy, the Wage Protection Program, and the Qiwa platform, which has deployed generative artificial intelligence and AI agents to serve more than two million establishments and 12 million private-sector workers across the Kingdom.
This year’s session of the International Labor Conference comes as labor markets worldwide face rapid technological change and uneven impacts across countries, sectors, and workers. Al-Rajhi stressed that international cooperation is essential to ensuring that artificial intelligence is used responsibly and fairly and that its benefits are shared more broadly.
Saudi Arabia’s participation in the International Labor Conference reflects the Kingdom’s commitment to contributing to global labor policy discussions, advancing international partnerships, and supporting fair, inclusive, and future-ready labor markets.
Source: Saudi Gazette