Artificial intelligence Archives | Page 9 of 699

MEPs to debate EU AI cybersecurity strategy

Members of the European Parliament are set to question the European Commission on its latest AI and cybersecurity proposals, including a new AI cybersecurity strategy expected to be unveiled on 7 July.

According to the European Parliament’s plenary newsletter, the Commission’s action plan is expected to include measures to help EU member states and companies address AI-related cybersecurity risks.

The strategy is also expected to strengthen Europe’s AI cybersecurity capabilities as policymakers examine how AI is reshaping both cyber threats and cyber defence.

The debate follows the European Commission’s welcome of the G7 cybersecurity declaration on strengthening global cyber resilience. Parliament is also considering two legislative proposals collectively referred to as the ‘Cybersecurity Act 2‘.

The proposals are expected to address issues including the NIS2 framework, the role of the EU Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA), the EU cybersecurity certification framework and ICT supply chain security.

The debate is scheduled for 7 July, as part of a European Com m ission statement followed by parliamentary scrutiny.

Why does it matter?

The debate shows that AI-related cybersecurity risks are becoming part of the EU’s broader cyber resilience agenda. By linking AI policy with NIS2, ENISA, certification and supply chain security, the EU is preparing to treat AI not only as an innovation priority but also as a cybersecurity concern.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Hong Kong launches AI privacy sandbox for schools

Hong Kong’s Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data and the Digital Policy Office have launched an AI privacy sandbox to support responsible AI adoption in schools.

The Safeguarding Personal Data AI Sandbox will provide a collaborative platform for schools exploring AI solutions while managing the risks to personal data protection.

The first phase will run for six months and select 15 school applicants. It is open to publicly funded primary and secondary schools, with applications accepted until 30 October 2026.

Selected schools will receive guidance from the Privacy Commissioner’s office on compliance with the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance.

They will also receive support from the Digital Policy Office on Hong Kong’s Generative Artificial Intelligence Technical and Application Guideline.

Cyberport, Hong Kong, and the Hong Kong Productivity Council will provide technical advice.

A briefing session for interested schools is scheduled for 28 August 2026.

Why does it matter?

Schools are increasingly exploring AI tools, but their use of student data creates specific privacy, safety and governance risks. Hong Kong’s sandbox offers a practical way to test AI adoption in education while giving schools regulatory and technical support. The initiative also shows how governments can move beyond broad AI principles by creating sector-specific support mechanisms for institutions that may lack in-house expertise.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Germany releases open-source AI platform to accelerate digital public administration

Germany’s Federal Ministry for Digital Affairs and Public Sector Modernization (BMDS) has released the source code of its SPARK API as an open-source project, aiming to accelerate AI adoption across public administration.

The modular platform allows government organisations to integrate AI into existing administrative systems without redesigning their underlying infrastructure, enabling faster and more flexible digital public services.

Built on a modular architecture, the SPARK API enables public authorities in Germany to add AI components to existing administrative processes across different legal and operational contexts. Unlike the broader SPARK Workflow platform, which orchestrates end-to-end administrative procedures, the API focuses on extending existing systems with reusable AI capabilities. The ministry said this approach should simplify integration and encourage wider adoption across government.

To support further development, BMDS organised an open hackathon involving more than 40 participants selected from over 210 applicants from government, industry and academia.

Teams developed AI applications for analysing unstructured documents, linking administrative records with geospatial data and strengthening cybersecurity. Participants also tested large language models against prompt injection attacks and evaluated guardrails designed to protect confidentiality, integrity and system availability.

The ministry described the hackathon as the beginning of a broader collaborative development process. Additional workshops and community initiatives are planned after the summer to improve the platform, expand its AI modules and encourage reuse across Germany’s public sector.

By releasing the SPARK API as open source, BMDS aims to improve transparency, encourage collaboration and accelerate digital transformation across public administration.

Why does it matter?

Germany’s decision reflects a broader shift towards treating AI as shared digital infrastructure for government rather than a collection of isolated projects. Open-source, modular platforms can help public institutions integrate AI more quickly, reduce duplication, improve interoperability and give agencies greater control over how AI systems are deployed and audited.

The initiative also highlights a growing preference among governments for transparent and reusable AI tools instead of relying solely on proprietary platforms. By making the code publicly available, Germany is encouraging collaboration across public institutions, academia and industry while supporting a more open approach to public-sector AI innovation.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

SDAIA, DCO and ICAIRE to discuss responsible AI implementation in Geneva

A side event at the first session of the Global Dialogue on AI Governance will focus on responsible AI implementation, exploring how ethical AI commitments can be translated into practical governance and delivery models.

The session, titled Responsible, Trusted, and Safe AI for Prosperity: From Principles to Practice will take place on 7 July at Palexpo in Geneva. It is being organised by the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), the Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO), and the International Center for Artificial Intelligence Research and Ethics (ICAIRE).

According to the concept note, the discussion will explore how governments and their partners can move from shared AI principles to institutional models that support the safe, trusted, and inclusive deployment of AI. Topics will include national AI readiness, public-sector adoption, governance frameworks, capacity-building and cross-border cooperation.

The organisers frame responsible AI implementation as a public value issue, linking it to stronger public services, national development priorities and sustainable digital prosperity. The session will also highlight SDAIA’s role in building national AI capabilities, ICAIRE’s work connecting AI ethics with research, and the DCO’s efforts to strengthen international digital cooperation.

The agenda includes keynote remarks from DCO Secretary-General Deemah AlYahya and a senior representative of SDAIA. A high-level panel featuring representatives from the DCO, ICAIRE and participating governments will be followed by a question-and-answer session with the audience.

Why does it matter?

The discussion reflects a broader shift in international AI governance from developing high-level principles to building the institutions, skills and regulatory frameworks needed to implement them effectively. As more countries publish AI strategies and governance commitments, the challenge is increasingly how to translate those ambitions into practical public-sector capabilities.

The session also highlights the growing importance of international cooperation in AI governance. By bringing together governments and international organisations to exchange implementation experiences, the event aims to support more consistent, trusted and inclusive approaches to AI adoption across different countries.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

UN-backed panel warns AI is outpacing global governance

A United Nations-backed scientific panel has warned that AI capabilities are advancing faster than governments’ ability to evaluate and govern them, raising concerns that oversight is failing to keep pace with increasingly powerful systems.

The Independent International Scientific Panel on AI, comprising 40 experts, found that AI systems are making rapid progress across key benchmarks. However, it warned that existing evaluation methods are becoming less reliable as models approach near-perfect performance or adapt to testing conditions.

Despite these advances, the report stresses that benefits in areas such as education and scientific research are not guaranteed. Outcomes depend heavily on institutional safeguards, teacher preparedness and whether AI systems are designed to support learning rather than replace critical thinking.

The panel also warns of structural risks, including the concentration of AI development among a small number of companies and countries, uneven language coverage and limited independent evaluation capacity across much of the world. According to the report, these imbalances could shape both access to AI and the ability to manage its risks.

Why does it matter?

The report highlights a growing mismatch between the pace of AI development and governments’ ability to evaluate, regulate and oversee increasingly capable systems. As AI evolves more quickly than existing governance mechanisms, policymakers risk responding to problems only after technologies have been widely deployed.

It also underscores that AI governance is becoming a question of global capacity as much as regulation. Countries with limited technical expertise, evaluation infrastructure or access to advanced AI systems may struggle to assess risks, enforce safeguards or influence international standards, potentially widening existing technological and economic divides.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our chatbot!

IWF and NCA urge parents to protect children’s photos from AI misuse

The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) and the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) have launched new guidance urging parents and carers to better protect images of their children online, warning that criminals are increasingly using AI to turn publicly available photographs into child sexual abuse material.

The campaign responds to a sharp rise in AI-generated child sexual abuse material and aims to help families make more informed decisions about sharing children’s image online and obtaining their consent.

The guidance accompanies a public awareness campaign across Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, encouraging families to review privacy settings, reconsider who can access children’s photographs and discuss image consent with young people.

Parents are encouraged to regularly review whether they are comfortable sharing images online, limit access through private groups where appropriate, and talk openly with their children about AI-generated imagery, deepfake nudes and online safety.

The campaign follows growing evidence that offenders are exploiting publicly accessible family and school photographs.

The IWF recently helped prevent the circulation of more than 100 AI-generated sexual images created from photographs taken from a UK school’s website after criminals attempted to blackmail the school. According to the organisations, even ordinary family photographs can now be manipulated into realistic abuse material without the knowledge of children or their parents.

The scale of the threat has grown significantly. The IWF identified 8,029 AI-generated child sexual abuse images and videos in 2025, a 14% increase on the previous year.

AI-generated videos increased from just 13 identified in 2024 to 3,443 in 2025, with nearly two-thirds classified as the UK’s most severe Category A abuse material.

The IWF argues that technology companies must strengthen safeguards around AI image generation tools before release, while continuing to support law enforcement efforts to combat online child exploitation.

Why does it matter?

Generative AI has made it significantly easier to create realistic child sexual abuse material from ordinary photographs, fundamentally changing the online child protection landscape. Images shared on social media, school websites or other public platforms can now be manipulated without a child’s knowledge, creating new risks for families and increasing the burden on law enforcement and child protection organisations.

The campaign also highlights that preventing AI-enabled abuse requires more than criminal enforcement. Stronger safeguards in AI image-generation tools, improved privacy practices, greater parental awareness and better digital literacy around image sharing and consent are all becoming essential components of online child safety.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

ITU showcases AI tools to strengthen digital trust

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has highlighted a new generation of AI researchers developing practical tools to strengthen digital trust, improve content authenticity and combat misinformation.

Ahead of the AI for Good Global Summit in Geneva, the Young Researcher Associate Programme is showcasing projects designed to improve multimedia authenticity, helping people identify manipulated content while supporting creativity and innovation in the age of generative AI.

The initiative operates under the AI and Multimedia Authenticity Standards Collaboration, established in 2024 by the World Standards Cooperation, which brings together the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the ITU.

The programme brings together early-career researchers from universities around the world to develop solutions addressing content authenticity, provenance and digital rights as AI-generated media becomes increasingly common online.

Three flagship projects illustrate the programme’s multidisciplinary approach. STOP&SCAN promotes critical thinking through a five-step framework that encourages people to assess the source, content and context of digital information before sharing it.

AMITO provides an AI-powered multimedia integrity toolkit through Telegram and WhatsApp, analysing suspicious images and videos while explaining its findings in plain language rather than simply labelling content as authentic or fake.

Meanwhile, the Policy-as-Code project maps AI-related regulations across jurisdictions, helping creators, businesses and policymakers understand how AI-generated content is regulated while laying the foundations for machine-readable compliance mechanisms.

The researchers will present their work at the AI for Good Global Summit on 9 July, demonstrating how technical innovation, behavioural science and regulatory frameworks can work together to build more trustworthy digital ecosystems. According to the ITU, strengthening digital trust requires collaboration across generations, disciplines and countries.

According to ITU, designing digital trust requires collaboration across generations, disciplines and countries to ensure AI strengthens rather than undermines confidence in online information.

Why does it matter?

As generative AI makes it easier to create convincing synthetic media, verifying the authenticity and provenance of digital content is becoming increasingly important for governments, businesses and the public. Technical tools alone are unlikely to solve the problem, making user education, common standards and transparent governance equally important.

The initiative also highlights the growing role of international standards organisations in shaping AI governance. By combining authenticity technologies, regulatory mapping and practical educational tools, the ITU and its partners are helping develop a shared foundation for trusted digital ecosystems that can operate across platforms and national borders.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Spain pushes for AI regulation to protect workers

Spain has called for stronger regulation of AI and algorithmic management in the workplace, arguing that digital technologies should strengthen workers’ rights rather than undermine them.

Speaking at the VI Ibero-American Ministerial Conference on Labour in Avilés, Spain’s Second Vice President and Minister of Labour, Yolanda Díaz, urged governments across the region to establish governance frameworks that ensure transparency, human oversight and the ethical use of AI in employment.

The conference focused on two priorities shaping the future of work. Ministers agreed on the need to professionalise, formalise and improve working conditions in the care sector, recognising its economic and social importance while addressing the precarious conditions faced by many workers, particularly women.

Delegations also examined the growing use of algorithmic management, stressing that governments should actively regulate AI to protect labour rights.

The meeting concluded with the adoption of the Avilés Ministerial Declaration and the Ibero-American Commitment on the Social and Solidarity Economy 2026–2030. Together, the documents establish shared principles on care work, algorithmic governance and labour rights while strengthening regional cooperation to promote inclusive economic development, quality employment and more resilient labour markets ahead of the XXX Ibero-American Summit in Madrid later this year.

At the same time, the commitment strengthens regional cooperation to promote inclusive economic development, quality employment and more resilient labour markets ahead of the XXX Ibero-American Summit scheduled to take place in Madrid later this year.

Why does it matter?

The conference reflects growing international concern that AI is reshaping the workplace faster than labour regulations are evolving. By calling for greater transparency, human oversight and accountability in algorithmic management, Spain is arguing that AI should improve working conditions without weakening workers’ rights or limiting human decision-making.

The adoption of shared regional principles also highlights how labour policy is becoming an increasingly important part of AI governance. As algorithmic systems play a larger role in hiring, scheduling, performance management and other employment decisions, governments are placing greater emphasis on ensuring that technological innovation remains aligned with fairness, inclusion and decent work.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

South Korea funds AI environmental technology commercialisation

South Korea will invest about 41 billion won by 2027 to support the rapid commercialisation of AI-powered environmental products and services.

The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment and the Korea Environmental Industry & Technology Institute selected 17 companies for the programme from 145 project proposals.

The projects cover five areas: carbon neutrality, water management, resource circulation, environmental safety and weather and climate monitoring.

Selected initiatives include an AI system that integrates solar power, energy storage and heat pumps to reduce heating and cooling costs by more than 20% compared with existing systems.

Another project will use AI to analyse ageing and fatigue in water supply networks, detect early signs of abnormality, and help prevent sinkholes and other disasters.

In the environmental safety field, selected companies will develop systems that combine CCTV and sensor data to predict and detect indoor air pollution and fire smoke, aiming to reduce exposure time to harmful substances.

The ministry said 16 of the 17 selected companies are small and medium-sized enterprises, while nine are located outside the Seoul metropolitan area.

Officials said the programme aims to bring AI-based environmental products and services to market within one to two years, while supporting domestic innovation and potential overseas expansion.

Why does it matter?

The programme shows how AI is being used as a deployment tool for environmental policy, rather than only as a research technology. Applications such as building energy optimisation, water-infrastructure monitoring and pollution detection can produce practical benefits if they move quickly from pilot stage to commercial use. The focus on SMEs and firms outside the Seoul metropolitan area also links AI innovation to regional development and to the export potential of environmental technology.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our chatbot!

Singapore proposes governance framework for AI agents in finance

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has published an industry white paper proposing a governance framework for AI agents operating in financial services. The framework was developed in collaboration with leading financial institutions and fintech companies.

Titled Safeguards for Agentic Finance at Runtime (SAFR), the framework aims to ensure AI agents carrying out financial tasks autonomously operate safely, securely and reliably within mandates, policies and risk limits defined by financial institutions.

SAFR addresses a central challenge of agentic AI in finance: autonomous systems increasingly operate at a speed and scale that make real-time human intervention impractical. It introduces governance checkpoints that verify and record an AI agent’s proposed actions before execution, incorporating policy-bound execution, real-time validation, auditability and interoperability directly into operational workflows.

Industry participants have already applied the framework to several use cases, including AI agents executing routine payments and treasury transactions within predefined limits, reviewing documents and generating compliance assessments for wealth management, and drafting client communications within approved content boundaries.

MAS has invited industry partners to join its BuildFin.ai working group to help shape future versions of SAFR. The recently established Future of Finance Institute will support adoption through industry pilots and regulatory sandbox experiments, with expressions of interest open to institutions wishing to test SAFR-aligned solutions.

Why does it matter?

As AI agents begin executing transactions, assessing compliance and interacting directly with customers, financial institutions need governance mechanisms that operate at machine speed rather than relying solely on human oversight. SAFR represents one of the first practical frameworks designed to embed policy checks, validation and auditability into AI-driven financial processes before actions are carried out.

The framework also reflects Singapore’s collaborative approach to financial innovation. By developing governance standards jointly with banks and fintech companies, MAS is seeking to create safeguards that are both technically practical and easier for the industry to adopt, potentially providing a model for other financial regulators exploring agentic AI.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!