Riyadh, May 2025 — Digital transformation is no longer a future ambition. It is a present operational imperative. This week, Sammy Faisal, ICT Associate at UNDP Saudi Arabia, delivered the first session of the AI Sprint Initiative under the title “Leveraging UNDP Digital Tools for Efficiency.” It was not just a training — it was a shift in mindset.

The session introduced colleagues to Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat, now fully integrated into UNDP’s digital ecosystem. Sammy offered a hands-on walkthrough of Copilot’s functionalities — from automating tasks to drafting emails, summarizing reports, and creating presentations — all within the secure Microsoft Office 365 environment.

Importantly, Sammy highlighted why Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat is not just a useful tool but the only authorized AI solution for day-to-day professional use at UNDP. Unlike external platforms such as ChatGPT, which are not compliant with UNDP's IT policy, Copilot ensures that all data remains within UNDP’s systems, aligning with the organization’s Personal Data Protection and Privacy Policy. It also integrates seamlessly with tools like Outlook, SharePoint, and Teams, offering enhanced productivity without compromising security.

“The real power of AI lies not in novelty, but in strategic, secure, and ethical integration,” Sammy emphasized.

This inaugural session set a new tone for how UNDP staff in Saudi Arabia will engage with AI. It also laid the foundation for the broader AI Sprint Initiative, which includes two upcoming sessions:

• Gavin Erasmus on intelligent process automation and agentic AI
• Ammaar Hamadien on the ethical use of AI in development contexts

With clarity, precision, and institutional relevance, Sammy’s session bridged the gap between vision and implementation. In doing so, it brought the digital future firmly into the present.