The Muslim Council of Elders organized a seminar on artificial intelligence ethics at the 34th Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, spotlighting the urgent need for global oversight frameworks as AI applications continue to multiply at an unprecedented pace.
The session, titled "Ethics of Artificial Intelligence Usage," was held at the Council's pavilion and facilitated by Dr. Mohamed Abdulzaher, CEO of the Artificial Intelligence Journalism Foundation for Research and Forecasting (AIJRF).
AI Applications Exploding — From 35,000 to One Million
Dr. Abdulzaher opened with a striking set of figures: AI applications numbered 35,000 in 2018, climbed to 50,000 by 2024, and are projected to reach one million by the end of 2025. The rapid scale of that growth, he argued, is precisely why ethical and legal rules for overseeing AI tools cannot wait.
He identified ChatGPT and Gemini as prominent examples of AI tools already reshaping public life, and stressed that more than 50 million global positions currently rely on AI applications in some form.
Human Oversight Must Lead, Not Follow
The central message of the session was clear: society must govern AI — not the other way around. Dr. Abdulzaher stated that "AI must strengthen human abilities instead of pursuing human replacement," and pushed back against fears of mass unemployment, arguing that only those who fail to develop relevant skills will be left behind.
He called on governments to regulate both public and private AI use, and urged media organizations to be transparent with audiences when content is generated or assisted by AI tools. Privacy protections across all sectors, he added, must be built into any governance framework from the outset.
Muslim Council of Elders Pavilion: 250+ Publications
Beyond the AI ethics discussion, the Muslim Council of Elders' pavilion at ADIBF 2025 showcased a collection of more than 250 cultural and intellectual publications, including new releases from Al-Hokama Publishing. The pavilion reinforced the Council's broader commitment to intellectual leadership and the dissemination of knowledge across the Muslim world.
The seminar is part of a growing series of governance-focused events hosted by the Council at major cultural venues, reflecting the organization's view that religious and civil institutions have a direct role to play in shaping the ethical boundaries of emerging technology.
