Digital Ethics of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates

Artificial intelligence (AI) poses a serious challenge for data protection and ethics. Whereas ethics is based on the moral and religious understanding of good and evil, adherence to religious norms is vital for many nations. In Islam, privacy is a fundamental value that is deeply rooted in the principles of Shariah law and focuses on the dignity of the individual, personal boundaries and moral behaviour. Therefore, the use of AI technologies by Islamic nations raises concerns about the compatibility of these traditional privacy norms with ethical frameworks for AI. To ensure that the field of AI is not only innovative but also morally and religiously acceptable, an optimal balance between ethical governance and technological advancement must be maintained. This study examines the approaches of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in integrating Islamic ethics and privacy rules into their ethical frameworks for AI. The study utilised qualitative methods, including descriptive and content analyses, combined with a comparative approach from data collected through documentary method. The transition from Islamic ethics to digital Islamic ethics experienced the significant influence of Islamic business ethics, which places a strong emphasis on justice, accountability and human dignity. Future studies on digital Islamic ethics need to follow the pace of technological advancement and identify the future ethical risks and gaps. The Islamic concept of privacy is unique. It differs from the Western legal approach in that it emphasises the importance of adherence to Shariah teachings and provides a strict and clear explanation for desirable behaviour in doubtful and ambiguous cases. The digital age requires the evolution of the Islamic concept of privacy to address the ethical and legal challenges posed by technological advances. The ethical frameworks for AI adopted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates illustrate the integration of cultural and ethical values with technological innovation. The governments attach great importance to harmonising security and privacy with Islamic principles. Both countries demonstrate how universal ethical rules for AI can be adapted to national circumstances. A customised ethical framework will therefore not only promote innovation and technological progress, but also ensure that these are in line with national ethical standards, cultural and religious values and societal needs.