Today, Open Digital Platforms (ODP) have become a fundamental pillar of the global knowledge economy, facilitating access to information and connecting users to knowledge sources within interactive digital environments. These platforms rely on internet infrastructure to provide a digital space that brings together individuals, institutions, and companies, enabling the exchange of data, knowledge, and services. In doing so, they enhance innovation and accelerate both the production and dissemination of knowledge.
Digital platforms are characterized by several key features, most notably their ability to achieve rapid growth driven by “Network Effects,” where their value increases as the user base grows. They play a pivotal role in supporting communication, enhancing participation, and enabling the production and exchange of content. These platforms vary significantly in type, including Transaction Platforms, Content Platforms, service platforms, and data and analytics platforms, making them a structural component of the contemporary digital economy.
Investing in digital platforms is a strategic necessity with economic, technical, and intellectual dimensions, especially given the accelerating global shift toward a knowledge economy. This sector contributes significantly to the global Gross Domestic Product (GDP). In this context, Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies emerge as an enabler rather than a substitute, enhancing platform capabilities by analyzing Big Data, improving access to knowledge, and increasing the efficiency of digital services.
This integration is evident through the deployment of advanced technologies such as Natural Language Processing (NLP), Semantic Search, and content classification algorithms. Furthermore, the integration of platforms with multiple knowledge sources via Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) allows for more accurate and personalized knowledge experiences for users.
The Digital Knowledge Hub (DKH) of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation (MBRF) represents a leading Arabic model for open knowledge platforms. It provides tens of millions of digital items and millions of titles, with a high percentage of free content, serving a wide base of users worldwide. Thus, it contributes to enhancing Arabic digital content and supporting the transition toward a knowledge economy.
In conclusion, contemporary experiences confirm that the integration of ODP with AI technologies constitutes a fundamental pillar for building open and innovative knowledge systems. These systems are capable of supporting sustainable development and expanding access to knowledge across the Arab world.

At the Knowledge Summit 2025, Rebeca Grynspan participated in a session titled “Knowledge Economies and Global Trade: New Pathways for Inclusive and Sustainable Development.” She discussed the rapid transformations in the global economy and the role of knowledge and innovation in reshaping international trade patterns, emphasizing the importance of building knowledge-based economies to ensure more inclusive and sustainable development.
Grynspan is one of the most prominent international figures on economic and development issues. Since September 2021, she has served as the Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), becoming the first woman to lead the organization in over six decades. She brings extensive experience in government, diplomacy, and global economic policymaking, being a distinguished economist and a former Vice President of Costa Rica.
Throughout her career, Grynspan has held significant government positions, including Minister of Housing, Minister Coordinator of Economic and Social Affairs, and Deputy Finance Minister. She has also played influential roles on the international stage, such as Secretary-General of the Ibero-American Conference, a high-ranking official at the UNDP, and a UN representative on the Haiti Reconstruction Commission.
As head of UNCTAD, she has contributed to vital initiatives to enhance global market stability, including understandings related to the Istanbul agreements and the Black Sea Initiative to secure grain exports and maintain food price stability.
Grynspan also chairs the UN Global Crisis Response Group and has received widespread international recognition, including the 2024 Doha Negotiator of the Year Award and the 2025 Isabel Oyarzábal Women in Multilateralism Prize. With her economic and humanitarian vision, she continues to chart a more balanced path for trade and development in a rapidly changing world.
Watch her full session at the Knowledge Summit:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcCTQkAGiF0&list=PL0tEdQfvXpS7JvdOwT7m9lJ7MKpy5gGc2&index=11