Capacity development

Ukraine strengthens cybersecurity ties with EU

Ukraine participated for the first time in the EU National Cybersecurity Coordination Centers meeting and the European Cybersecurity Competence Centre (ECCC) Steering Board in Rome.

The event, supported by Italy’s National Agency for Cybersecurity, focused on enhancing cooperation among EU member states and fostering a unified cyber community.

Natalia Tkachuk, Secretary of Ukraine’s National Coordination Center for Cybersecurity, highlighted the nation’s challenges and experiences in countering cyber threats amidst ongoing conflict.

She emphasized Ukraine’s role in both receiving and sharing cybersecurity knowledge to strengthen collective European security.

Discussions included the establishment of a joint Center of Competence for Cyber Resilience in Ukraine, aiming to counter Russian cyberattacks, disinformation, and sabotage.

The center will utilize artificial intelligence trained on unique Ukrainian data to enhance response capabilities.

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Two decades on, WSIS+20 sets course for inclusive digital future

The WSIS+20 High-Level Event opened in Geneva with a celebratory yet forward-looking tone, marking the 20th anniversary of the World Summit on the Information Society. With over 160 countries represented and over 50,000 stakeholders having engaged with WSIS over the years, speakers reflected on the summit’s legacy in expanding global internet access, from just 16% in 2003 to 68% today.

ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin called multistakeholder collaboration ‘the beating heart of WSIS,’ reaffirming its importance in guiding digital development. Despite the gains, participants underscored stark digital divides that persist, particularly in the Global South.

UNCTAD’s Deputy Secretary-General Pedro Manuel Moreno emphasised the contrast between societies benefiting from AI and others, where 3.4 billion people remain offline. UNESCO’s Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information, Tawfik Jelassi, warned of rising misinformation and urged a ‘WSIS 2.0’ vision that places ethics, human rights, and peace at the core of the digital agenda. Agi Veres, Director of the UNDP Representation Office in Geneva, echoed the call for technology to empower people rather than outpace them, championing a rights-based, inclusive approach to emerging tech like AI.

In a symbolic leadership transition, Switzerland handed the WSIS chairmanship to South Africa. Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies of South Africa, Solly Malatsi, accepted the role by stressing that participants represent not merely institutions but the digital hopes of people everywhere, from remote villages to bustling capitals. The handover represents continuity and a renewed global commitment to building a trustworthy and equitable information society.

As preparations begin for the UN General Assembly’s overall review of WSIS later this year, the event has set a clear tone: the digital future must be shaped by cooperation, inclusivity, and a shared responsibility to ensure no one is left behind.

Track all key events from the WSIS+20 High-Level Event 2025 on our dedicated page.

East Meets West: Reimagining education in the age of AI

At the WSIS+20 High-Level Event in Geneva, the session ‘AI (and) education: Convergences between Chinese and European pedagogical practices’ brought together educators, students, and industry experts to examine how AI reshapes global education.

Led by Jovan Kurbalija of Diplo and Professor Hao Liu of Beijing Institute of Technology (BIT), with industry insights from Deloitte’s Norman Sze, the discussion focused on the future of universities and the evolving role of professors amid rapid AI developments.

Drawing on philosophical traditions from Confucius to Plato, the session emphasised the need for a hybrid approach that preserves the human essence of learning while embracing technological transformation.

Professor Liu showcased BIT’s ‘intelligent education’ model, a human-centred system integrating time, space, knowledge, teachers, and students. Moving beyond rigid, exam-focused instruction, BIT promotes creativity and interdisciplinary learning, empowering students with flexible academic paths and digital tools.

Jovan Kurbalija at WSIS+20 High-Level Event 2025
Jovan Kurbalija, Executive Director of Diplo

Meanwhile, Norman Sze highlighted how AI has accelerated industry workflows and called for educational alignment with real-world demands. He argued for reorienting learning around critical thinking, ethical literacy, and collaboration—skills that AI cannot replicate and remain central to personal and professional growth.

A key theme was whether teachers and universities remain relevant in an AI-driven future. Students from around the world contributed compelling reflections: AI may offer efficiency, but it cannot replace the emotional intelligence, mentorship, and meaning-making that only human educators provide.

As one student said, ‘I don’t care about ChatGPT—it’s not human.’ The group reached a consensus: professors must shift from ‘sages on the stage’ to ‘guides on the side,’ coaching students through complexity rather than merely transmitting knowledge.

The session closed on an optimistic note, asserting that while AI is a powerful catalyst for change, the heart of education lies in human connection, dialogue, and the ability to ask the right questions. Participants agreed that a truly forward-looking educational model will emerge not from choosing between East and West or human and machine, but from integrating the best of all to build a more inclusive and insightful future of learning.

Track all key events from the WSIS+20 High-Level Event 2025 on our dedicated page.

WSIS+20 panel urges smarter digital governance

At the WSIS+20 High-Level Event 2025 in Geneva, global leaders and experts gathered to reflect on the two-decade legacy of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) and chart a course for the future of digital cooperation. Moderated by Anriette Esterhuysen of the Association for Progressive Communications, the panel underscored how the WSIS process helped connect over 5.6 billion people to the internet and solidified the importance of multistakeholder governance.

Speakers lauded successes in infrastructure and inclusion but were clear-eyed about persistent gaps, especially the 2.5 billion people who still lack connectivity.

Thailand’s Minister of Digital Economy, Prasert Jantararuangtong, showcased national broadband access and cybersecurity achievements through initiatives like the Anti-Online Scam Operation Centre. Meanwhile, Ambassador Janis Karklins of Latvia, a central figure in WSIS’s 2005 Tunis phase, warned of growing digital fragmentation.

He expressed concern over the drift from WSIS’s original vision of a global information society toward digital sovereignty, urging participants to stay true to a collaborative global model.

Experts emphasised the need for future frameworks to evolve without duplicating efforts. Professor Kathleen Kramer of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers highlighted the urgency of strong STEM education and technical standards to scale emerging technologies like AI and quantum computing responsibly.

Pierre Bonis of AFNIC and Maria Fernanda Garza of the International Chamber of Commerce both called for pragmatic integration of the WSIS legacy with the upcoming Global Digital Compact, stressing stability, innovation, and the inclusion of pressing challenges such as climate change.

The session closed with a renewed commitment to WSIS’s people-centred, inclusive values, even as the digital landscape becomes increasingly complex. With reflections on past achievements and a unified call for non-duplicative, collaborative governance, panellists offered a hopeful yet pragmatic vision for the next chapter of global digital development.

Track all key events from the WSIS+20 High-Level Event 2025 on our dedicated page.

Google hit with EU complaint over AI Overviews

After a formal filing by the Independent Publishers Alliance, Google has faced an antitrust complaint in the European Union over its AI Overviews feature.

The group alleges that Google has been using web content without proper consent to power its AI-generated summaries, causing considerable harm to online publishers.

The complaint claims that publishers have lost traffic, readers and advertising revenue due to these summaries. It also argues that opting out of AI Overviews is not a real choice unless publishers are prepared to vanish entirely from Google’s search results.

AI Overviews were launched over a year ago and now appear at the top of many search queries, summarising information using AI. Although the tool has expanded rapidly, critics argue it drives users away from original publisher websites, especially news outlets.

Google has responded by stating its AI search tools allow users to ask more complex questions and help businesses and creators get discovered. The tech giant also insisted that web traffic patterns are influenced by many factors and warned against conclusions based on limited data.

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Global instability fuels surge in cyberattacks

A surge in cyberattacks is fuelled by global instability, with businesses worldwide now facing heightened risks. A new report by GlobalData warns that rising geopolitical tensions are giving state actors, terrorists, hacktivists and cybercriminals more opportunities to strike.

Conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East have created a volatile digital landscape. Cyberattackers are exploiting weakened defences, targeting both national infrastructure and private enterprises.

‘Those not after money are often motivated by revenge,’ the report states. The key perpetrators are disgruntled employees, unhappy customers, and ideologically driven hackers. While some attackers aim to cause reputational harm or attract attention, others seek to turn off critical systems.

Nation states, in particular, use cyberwarfare as a strategic tool against rival governments. Businesses are warned to prepare for disruption as cyber threats become more frequent and sophisticated. The report concludes that no organisation is immune in today’s digital and geopolitical uncertainty climate.

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Regions seek role in EU hospital cyber strategy

The European Commission’s latest plan to strengthen hospital cybersecurity has drawn attention from regional authorities across the EU, who say they were excluded from key decisions.

Their absence, they argue, could weaken the strategy’s overall effectiveness.

With cyberattacks on healthcare systems growing, regional representatives insist they should have a seat at the table.

As those directly managing hospitals and public health, they warn that top-down decisions may overlook urgent local challenges and lead to poorly matched policies.

The Commission’s plan includes creating a dedicated health cybersecurity centre under the EU Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) and setting up an EU-wide threat alert system.

Yet doubts remain over how these goals will be met without extra funding or clear guidance on regional involvement.

The concerns point to the need for a more collaborative approach that values regional knowledge.

Without it, the EU risks designing cybersecurity protections that fail to reflect the realities inside Europe’s hospitals.

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SK Telecom unveils $700B cybersecurity upgrade

SK Telecom has announced a major cybersecurity initiative worth KRW 700 billion, designed to restore trust and enhance information security after a recent incident.

The company’s new programme, called the Accountability and Commitment Program, includes four elements to protect customers and reinforce transparency.

A central part of the initiative is the Information Protection Innovation Plan, which involves a five-year investment to build a world-class cybersecurity system.

The project will follow the US National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Cybersecurity Framework and aims to position SK Telecom as Korea’s leader in information security by 2028.

To further support affected customers, the company is upgrading its Customer Assurance Package and introducing a Customer Appreciation Package to thank users for their patience and loyalty.

A subscription cancellation fee waiver has also been included to reduce friction for those reconsidering their service.

SK Telecom says it will maintain its commitment to customer safety and service reliability, pledging to fully address all concerns and enhance security and service quality across the board.

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India needs a quantum leap in defence AI, says LatentAI founder

Jags Kandasamy, founder of US-based defence tech company LatentAI, is working with Indian firms to pursue defence contracts, but says India must leapfrog forward in AI-enabled warfare. In an interview with HT, he outlined the challenges and opportunities in the India-US defence tech partnership.

At Aero India, Kandasamy saw an Indian Army prototype using computer vision on automated border weapons. While promising, the system’s heavy computing requirements limit scalability.

LatentAI, which helped the US Navy optimise AI models for underwater vehicles, offers solutions by compressing models to fit limited hardware. ‘Autonomous warfare is the future,’ he said, noting the impact of drones and AI on intelligence, targeting and surveillance.

Kandasamy’s India partner, InferQ, came through introductions by Forge Ventures, which works closely with Indian and United States defence departments. He said that government initiatives like INDUSX and IDEX are helping firms connect across borders, but procedural bottlenecks persist.

‘There’s no mechanism for non-Indian passport holders to get clearance,’ Kandasamy noted. ‘In the US, the process is transparent. Even Indian firms can’t see who makes the decisions.’

He recalled advising a founder who waited two years to get a prototype certified. ‘India can be a great proving ground, but the bureaucracy needs streamlining.’

On China, Kandasamy didn’t mince words: ‘China is a third-year PhD student in defence AI. India is in elementary school.’ He cited examples of China’s proactive investment in emerging tech from 2010, including personal offers to relocate his startups. ‘India needs to leapfrog like it did with telecom.’

Still, Kandasamy praised India’s IDEX programme for uncovering strong homegrown tech talent. ‘There are smart people and ideas, but they need support and scale.’

To improve bilateral cooperation, he suggested reciprocal security clearances and defining interoperability frameworks between US and Russian-origin systems in India. ‘India won’t abandon its Russian hardware. But if we can protect both sides’ secrets while working together, that would be real progress.’

‘India and the US are linchpins of a democratic society,’ he concluded. ‘We have to make this partnership work.’

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OpenAI rejects Robinhood’s token offering

OpenAI has publicly disavowed Robinhood’s decision to sell so-called ‘OpenAI tokens’, warning that these blockchain-based contracts do not offer real equity in the company.

In a statement posted on X, OpenAI made clear that it had not approved, endorsed, or participated in the initiative and emphasised that any equity transfer requires its direct consent.

Robinhood recently announced plans to offer tokenised access to private firms like OpenAI and SpaceX for investors in the EU. The tokens do not represent actual shares but mimic price movements using blockchain contracts.

Despite OpenAI’s sharp rejection, Robinhood’s stock surged to record highs following the announcement.

A Robinhood spokesperson later claimed the tokens were linked to a special purpose vehicle (SPV) that owns OpenAI shares, though SPVs do not equate to direct ownership either.

The company said the move aims to give everyday investors indirect exposure to high-profile startups through digital contracts.

Robinhood CEO Vlad Tenev defended the strategy on X, saying the token sale was just the beginning of a broader effort to democratise access to private markets.

OpenAI, meanwhile, declined to comment further.

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