Established in 2024 at the initiative of the President of Uzbekistan, this prize is the first global award dedicated to supporting research in the ethics of artificial intelligence. Its primary goal is to promote the responsible design, development, and implementation of AI technologies, as well as to expand international scientific cooperation.
The prize is awarded once every two years to three laureates. Each winner receives the Abu Rayhan Beruni Medal, a certificate, and a monetary reward. Individual researchers, scientific institutions, and organizations that have contributed to the development of ethical principles and practical solutions in the field of AI are eligible to participate. The submission of applications will continue until January 30, 2027.
The first award ceremony took place in November 2025 in the city of Samarkand within the framework of the 43rd session of the UNESCO General Conference. During the event, Professor Virgilio Augusto Fernandes de Almeida (Brazil), Professors Susan Perry and Claudia Maria Giovanna Roda (France), as well as Professors Lan Xue, Zheng Liang, and Qian Xiao from the Institute for AI International Governance (I-AIIG) at Tsinghua University were recognized as laureates. Their projects are aimed at developing ethical, inclusive, and responsible technologies.
Since its inception, the prize has become a platform for stimulating scientific research, exchanging knowledge, and engaging young people in AI ethics issues. Notably, at the Youth Forum held in New York City in April 2026, an event was organized focusing on the role of the younger generation in developing ethical and inclusive artificial intelligence.
Additionally, within the framework of the International AI Olympiad held in Astana in August 2026, the prize laureates delivered lectures to more than 300 participants and over 200 experts and researchers.
The international competition for scientific works on AI ethics has currently received more than 460 applications from various corners of the globe, and its final stage is scheduled to take place within a scientific forum in Paris in December 2026.
