Empowering Data Sovereignty through Artificial Intelligence: A Framework for Sustainable Smart Energy Systems in Saudi
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: As smart energy systems become central to national sustainability strategies, ensuring data sovereignty—the right of nations to control data generated within their borders—has become a pressing priority. Yet, most current AI infrastructures lack built-in mechanisms for jurisdictional compliance, data localization, and legal accountability. This study explores how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can actively enforce data sovereignty within smart grid environments through a comparative analysis of four international cases: Gaia-X (EU), Microsoft’s EU Data Boundary, a decentralized energy pilot in India, and Saudi Arabia’s NEOM. Using expert interviews and document analysis, the paper investigates the role of federated learning, edge AI, and sovereign cloud architectures in aligning technical solutions with national governance goals. The study proposes a cross-jurisdictional framework for sovereign-by-design AI systems, highlighting ethical, legal, and infrastructural components. Results show that AI can be a powerful enabler of sovereignty—if supported by localized infrastructure, clear legal frameworks, and ethical oversight. The paper contributes original insights and a practical blueprint for policy-makers, developers, and energy stakeholders aiming to build compliant, ethical, and sustainable digital infrastructure aligned with global SDG targets.
Language: English
Subfield: Law
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4414242871