A major international effort to tackle fraud is set to take place in Vienna, as global leaders gather for the Global Fraud Summit 2026 on 16–17 March. The event will highlight emerging challenges in cross-border and digital fraud, bringing global attention to the need for stronger cooperation.
The meeting is organised by the UNODC in partnership with INTERPOL, bringing together government officials, law enforcement authorities, private sector representatives, civil society and academics to discuss emerging fraud trends.
Fraud is increasingly seen as a cross-border and digitally driven threat, making coordination between countries more important than ever. Discussions among leaders and other representatives are expected to focus on how fraud operates across jurisdictions, examine current and emerging fraud trends, why detection remains difficult, and what practical steps can improve both prevention and enforcement.
Particular attention will be given to how institutions and their leaders can enhance information sharing and cooperation. Stronger partnerships between public and private actors are seen as key to responding more effectively, especially as fraud schemes grow more sophisticated.
Beyond immediate enforcement, the summit aims to strengthen long-term capacity and build more resilient systems. Greater alignment between states and organisations could play a decisive role in addressing fraud globally.
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Efforts to improve the security of Europe’s digital infrastructure have advanced as the European Commission opens a €180 million funding call to support backup systems for subsea internet cables.
Investment by the EU will focus on developing alternative routes and redundancy mechanisms, ensuring continuity of connectivity in the event of disruptions affecting critical undersea networks that carry global data traffic.
Growing concerns around infrastructure vulnerability have increased attention on subsea cables, which play a central role in international communications. Strengthening resilience is therefore becoming a priority within broader European strategies on technological sovereignty and security.
Planned projects are expected to enhance reliability across the region, reducing risks associated with outages or potential external threats to essential telecommunications infrastructure.
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Rising demand for AI and cloud computing is driving a surge in data centre construction, pushing operators to adopt new security solutions. Companies are increasingly deploying robotic dogs to patrol sites and monitor operations.
These four-legged machines can inspect equipment, detect anomalies and alert staff before issues escalate. Merry Frayne, senior director of product management at Boston Dynamics, noted a sharp increase in interest as investment in data infrastructure continues to grow.
Developed by firms such as Boston Dynamics and Ghost Robotics, the robots are designed to support rather than replace human guards. Their use can reduce costs by requiring fewer personnel while maintaining continuous monitoring.
The machines can travel long distances on a single charge and operate across both external and internal environments. Some facilities already use them on pre-programmed patrols to collect data and flag unusual activity.
At the same time, competition in robotics is intensifying globally, with companies exploring humanoid and AI-powered systems. Advances from firms like Nvidia and Tesla highlight how automation is expanding beyond security into broader industrial use.
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AI agents are rapidly gaining traction, raising questions about whether existing EU rules can keep pace. Unlike chatbots, these systems can act autonomously and interact with digital tools on behalf of users.
Experts warn that AI agents require deeper access to personal data and online services to function effectively. Regulators in Europe are monitoring potential risks as the technology becomes more integrated into daily life.
Lawmakers are examining whether current legislation, such as the AI Act and GDPR, adequately covers agent-based systems. Legal experts highlight challenges around contracts, liability and accountability when AI acts independently.
Despite concerns, many governments remain reluctant to introduce new rules, citing regulatory fatigue. Policymakers may rely on existing frameworks unless major incidents force a reassessment of AI oversight.
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Generative AI offers major productivity and growth opportunities, but also brings new risks as organisations move from experiments to full deployment. MIT research highlights key risk areas, including training data, foundation models, user prompts, and system prompts.
Researchers identify two types of risk.
Embedded risks come from the technology itself, shaped by model behaviour, data quality, and vendor updates, and are mostly outside an organisation’s control.
Enacted risks arise from choices in deploying AI, from prompt design to agent permissions, and require strong governance.
Advanced uses such as retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) and autonomous AI agents increase exposure. RAG uses internal data to improve outputs, but may reveal sensitive information or control gaps. AI agents acting across multiple tools can lead to ‘autonomy creep,’ performing tasks without proper oversight.
To manage AI risk, organisations should map tools, assign ownership, track outputs, and use separate strategies for embedded and enacted risks. Vendor engagement, governance frameworks, and technical controls are essential for safe AI use.
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A service disruption has affected users of Microsoft Exchange Online, and Microsoft has confirmed ongoing investigations into mailbox access issues affecting enterprise customers worldwide.
Reports indicate that Microsoft users encountered difficulties connecting via multiple access points, including the Microsoft Outlook desktop and mobile applications and browser-based email services. The issue affects specific connection methods rather than the entire platform.
Organisations relying on cloud-based communication tools experienced interruptions in email workflows, calendar scheduling, and shared mailbox functionality. Such disruptions can significantly disrupt operational continuity, particularly for businesses that depend on real-time communication systems.
Updates through Microsoft’s service health channels suggest that engineering teams are working to identify the root cause, though no definitive explanation has yet been provided.
Such incidents highlight broader concerns around resilience in cloud infrastructure, as enterprises increasingly depend on centralised platforms for critical communication services.
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Unlike its predecessors, 6G is being designed from the ground up with AI as a core feature rather than a performance add-on.
From user devices and base stations through to the network core, AI and machine learning will enable 6G networks to self-optimise, manage interference, predict user mobility, and make real-time decisions with minimal human intervention.
One of 6G’s most distinctive capabilities will be Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC), which allows radio signals to simultaneously carry data and sense the surrounding environment, effectively turning the network into a vast, distributed sensor capable of detecting motion, tracking objects, and supporting applications such as predictive maintenance and autonomous vehicles.
AI plays a central role in interpreting this sensing data in real time, enabling split-second responses to real-world conditions.
Standardisation efforts are already underway, with 3GPP’s Release 20 exploring how AI and machine learning can optimise the air interface and improve tasks such as channel state information compression.
Commercial 6G deployment is expected in the early 2030s, by which point AI is projected to act as the brain and nervous system of key parts of the network, constantly learning, adapting, and optimising with little human oversight.
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The European Union imposed sanctions on two China-based companies and one Iranian company in connection with cyber operations targeting the EU member states. The Council’s official press release does not specify the underlying operations. The designated entities are Integrity Technology Group and Anxun Information Technology, both based in China, and Emennet Pasargad, based in Iran.
According to an EU statement, Integrity Technology is assessed to have facilitated the compromise of over 65,000 devices across six member states. Anxun is assessed to have provided offensive cyber capabilities targeting critical infrastructure, and two of the company’s co-founders have been individually designated for their roles in these operations.
Emennet is assessed to have a compromised digital advertising infrastructure to disseminate disinformation during the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The sanctions entail an asset freeze and a travel ban for the listed individuals. The EU citizens and entities are additionally prohibited from making funds available to the designated companies.
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South Korea’s three major telecommunications operators plan to deploy advanced network technologies during the BTS comeback concert scheduled for 21 March at Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul. The initiative aims to bolster network management, prevent congestion, and ensure stable connectivity as large crowds gather in a confined space.
SK Telecom said it will introduce its proprietary AI-powered network management system, A-One, at the event. The technology can recommend optimal equipment placement, predict traffic demand, and monitor real-time network performance to maintain service stability.
To manage heavy data usage during the concert, the company will operate multiple network systems across the venue’s different zones. The setup is designed to allow attendees inside the square to upload photos and videos quickly while enabling viewers outside the venue to stream the concert without interruptions. Additional equipment will also be installed in areas expected to attract international visitors.
KT will deploy its AI-based autonomous traffic management system, W-SDN, which monitors network usage in real time and automatically adjusts traffic flows if congestion is detected. The company will activate an emergency network control mode during the event and deploy about 80 engineers and portable base stations on site.
LG Uplus will also apply its autonomous network management technology, which predicts traffic changes and distributes network loads across nearby base stations. The South Korea-based operator said the system will help ensure uninterrupted connectivity for concertgoers throughout the event.
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In the EU, France is calling for planned European AI ‘gigafactories’ to focus on testing and scaling European technologies rather than primarily increasing demand for hardware from companies such as Nvidia.
The large computing facilities are intended to provide the infrastructure needed to train advanced AI systems. However, officials in France argue that the projects should strengthen Europe’s technological capabilities rather than reinforce reliance on foreign suppliers.
Several EU countries, including Poland, Austria and Lithuania, support using the infrastructure to improve Europe’s digital resilience.
The initiative forms part of the European Commission’s wider plans to expand computing capacity and support the development of a stronger European AI ecosystem.
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