Muscat – As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to transform industries and societies, experts in Oman are calling for robust ethical frameworks and warn that society must act quickly to ensure technology remains a servant of humanity — not its master. Once confined to research laboratories, AI now influences decisions in healthcare, education, media, and finance. While […]
Muscat – As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to transform industries and societies, experts in Oman are calling for robust ethical frameworks and warn that society must act quickly to ensure technology remains a servant of humanity — not its master.
Once confined to research laboratories, AI now influences decisions in healthcare, education, media, and finance. While the technology offers vast potential, it also raises complex questions about bias, privacy, and accountability.
Dr Khalifa bin Mohammed al Kindi, Assistant Professor at the University of Nizwa Chair for AI Applications, said the speed of AI’s evolution has brought new moral challenges that must be addressed. “AI systems depend heavily on data for decision-making — and when that data is biased or inaccurate, it leads to discriminatory results,” he said. “We’ve already seen examples where algorithms unintentionally marginalise certain groups.”
He warned that large-scale data collection and surveillance risk undermining personal privacy and human autonomy. “Excessive reliance on AI could dull human creativity and critical thinking. Without transparency and accountability, public trust in institutions may erode,” Dr Kindi said. He called for clear legislation and oversight, stressing that developers must document each stage of AI creation and ensure fairness, justice, and inclusivity.
Entrepreneur and digital economy expert Shanoona bint Mohammed al Barwani said that the relationship between humans and machines should be one of integration, not replacement. “AI lacks empathy and self-awareness; it can only extend human capabilities, not replace human consciousness.”
Eng Raif bin Ali al Zakwani, an AI and future skills trainer, emphasised that while AI lacks moral conscience, it can be guided to uphold ethical values through programming and regulation. “Artificial intelligence operates on algorithms and data, not conscience. But through effective governance, we can make it respect principles like fairness, privacy, and accountability,” he said.
He added that Oman’s National Programme for Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Digital Technologies places ethics at its core, aligning innovation with values of dignity, justice, and respect for privacy. “Humans remain the true source of creativity and empathy. AI can execute commands and simulate reasoning, but it will never replicate human imagination, emotion, or moral judgement,” Zakwani said.
As AI becomes increasingly integrated into daily life, experts agree that progress must be balanced with responsibility. The challenge, they say, is not just to build smarter machines — but to ensure that humanity remains the wiser force behind them.
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