Prince Turki Al-Faisal, Chairman of the Board of the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies, addressed the hidden and dangerous challenges facing the Gulf Cooperation Council countries in his recent speech. He emphasized that these threats impact social security and sustainable development in the region as much as wars and conflicts do.
Demographic Challenges and Aging Societies
During this speech titled "Today's Challenges for Future Foundations" held in Bahrain, Prince Turki Al-Faisal referred to declining birth rates and aging societies. He cited World Bank data for 2024, stating that Oman has the highest fertility rate in the Gulf with 2.5 children per woman, while other countries like Saudi Arabia and Bahrain have also fallen below the population replacement level.
This situation, especially considering the increase in life expectancy and improvements in healthcare, could increase the dependency burden and put significant pressure on retirement and healthcare systems. Prince Turki Al-Faisal also stressed the need to distinguish between the demographic changes of citizens and the overall population.
Artificial Intelligence and Its Threats
The second challenge that Prince Turki Al-Faisal mentioned was the dangers posed by artificial intelligence. He noted that this technology could create opportunities for increased productivity, but at the same time could lead to the loss of millions of jobs globally. Estimates from the International Monetary Fund indicate that about 40 percent of global jobs are vulnerable to the impacts of artificial intelligence.
He warned about the military applications of artificial intelligence and the threats posed by armed groups using this technology. According to him, the growing reliance on intelligent systems could create new security gaps and lead to strategic dependencies on foreign entities.
In conclusion, Prince Turki Al-Faisal emphasized that Gulf countries must pay special attention to developing national capabilities in designing and securing these systems to face future challenges.
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