Development Archives | Digital Watch Observatory

Anthropic and South Korea partner on AI safety and cybersecurity

Anthropic has opened an office in Seoul and announced a series of partnerships across South Korea’s AI ecosystem, alongside a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Science and ICT on AI safety.

The company said the Seoul office will serve as a long-term hub for collaboration with South Korean enterprises, startups, researchers and developers using Claude. Senior Anthropic leaders travelled to Seoul this week to open the office and meet partners, customers, and developers.

Anthropic said the MOU with South Korea’s Ministry of Science and ICT will support the safe and responsible adoption of AI across the public sector. The cooperation will focus on AI safety and cybersecurity, including Korean-language model safety evaluations with the Korea AI Safety Institute and information sharing on AI-enabled cyber threats.

KiYoung Choi, Representative Director of South Korea at Anthropic, said South Korean organisations understand that innovation and safety are linked. He said the Seoul office provides a long-term base for collaboration with organisations helping shape South Korea’s AI leadership.

Anthropic also highlighted broader adoption of Claude among South Korean companies. NAVER has deployed Claude Code across its engineering organisation, while Nexon engineering teams are using Claude Code to write, review, and ship code for live-service games.

Large South Korean business groups are also using Claude. LG CNS plans to deploy it across LG Group, Hanwha Solutions is using Claude through AWS Bedrock to meet in-region data residency and security requirements, and Samsung SDS is deploying Claude across Samsung Electronics for knowledge work, agentic workflows, and software development.

South Korean startups are also integrating Claude into products. Channel Corp uses Claude to power Channel Talk, a customer AI platform used by more than 230,000 companies across South Korea, Japan, and the United States.

Anthropic said it will also work with the National AI Research Lab, a consortium spanning KAIST, South Korea University, Yonsei University, and POSTECH. Anthropic will provide Claude access to up to 60 affiliated researchers to support work on AI safety, model evaluation, alignment, robustness and frontier AI research.

In the nonprofit sector, Good Neighbors Korea is deploying Claude to help staff analyse programme outcomes, navigate social welfare law and internal guidelines, and reduce administrative work for frontline social workers.

Anthropic said South Korea ranks among the top dozen countries globally for Claude.ai usage, with activity concentrated in technical and creative work. The company has launched Claude for Startups in South Korea and has held Claude Meetups for South Korean developers since September 2025.

The company also co-hosted Claude Build Day with BASS Ventures, bringing together more than 100 South Korean founders and developers. Anthropic will also co-host a Push to Prod hackathon with Replit, Korea Investment Partners, and Korea Investment Accelerator.

Why does it matter?

The announcement highlights South Korea’s growing importance in the global AI landscape. Beyond being a major market for AI products, the country is increasingly positioning itself as a centre for AI research, safety evaluation, enterprise adoption and public-sector deployment.

The expansion also illustrates how frontier AI companies are combining commercial growth with governance initiatives. Anthropic’s cooperation with the Ministry of Science and ICT and the Korea AI Safety Institute suggests that AI safety, cybersecurity and model evaluation are becoming integrated into broader ecosystem-building efforts. As competition among leading AI companies intensifies, partnerships that combine research, regulation, enterprise adoption and developer engagement are likely to play an increasingly important role in shaping national AI ecosystems.

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Spain backs AI gigafactory to boost European technological sovereignty

Spain has approved a €719 million investment in a national AI gigafactory project aimed at expanding advanced computing capacity and strengthening European technological sovereignty.

The investment was authorised by Spain’s Council of Ministers through the Ministry for Digital Transformation and Public Service. The investment will be channelled through the Spanish Society for Technological Transformation (SETT), which will establish a public-private consortium to develop the project and submit a bid under a forthcoming European Commission call for AI gigafactories.

The government said the project is intended to expand European access to advanced computing resources, reduce technological dependencies and support AI development under European regulatory frameworks.

The planned Spanish bid will use a multi-site model, with locations in Móra la Nova in Tarragona and San Fernando de Henares in Madrid. The government said the AI gigafactory is designed as a large-scale industrial initiative and could become part of one of Europe’s main AI infrastructures.

Spain’s Minister for Digital Transformation and Public Service, Óscar López, said the investment supports technological sovereignty, reindustrialisation and leadership in reliable and sustainable AI. He argued that greater European access to advanced computing resources would accelerate innovation, support scientific research and enable public administrations to develop more advanced and secure digital services.

According to the government, AI gigafactories are specialised data centres designed to host hundreds of thousands of GPUs required to train and deploy advanced AI models. These include large language models and advanced computer vision systems.

The ministry said such facilities differ from conventional data centres because they are specialised for the large-scale computing capacity required by the next generation of AI. The ministry noted that infrastructure for training frontier AI models is currently dominated by US hyperscalers and, to a lesser extent, China’s domestic AI ecosystem.

Spain said the AI gigafactory project would support European efforts to build sovereign supercomputing hubs through EuroHPC, which includes the MareNostrum 5 supercomputer at the Barcelona Supercomputing Center, and programmes such as PERTE Chip.

The government said an AI gigafactory would benefit startups, SMEs, large companies, universities, research centres and public administrations that need significant computing capacity to develop advanced AI. It would also allow the European ecosystem to train, test, and deploy AI models without depending entirely on foreign providers.

The project is structured through a public-private consortium whose composition is still being finalised. Spain said the scale of the initiative requires a combination of public leadership, industrial capabilities, financing and technological expertise.

The ministry said SETT’s participation will provide public strategic direction, coordination, and execution capacity. The operation also builds on Spain’s existing AI infrastructure ecosystem, including two AI Factories linked to EuroHPC: the Barcelona Supercomputing Center and the Galician Supercomputing Center, both supported by Spanish government funding.

Why does it matter?

The announcement reflects the growing importance of computing infrastructure in the global AI race. Access to large-scale compute resources has become a strategic requirement for training and deploying advanced AI systems, yet much of that capacity remains concentrated among a small number of US technology companies and, increasingly, Chinese providers.

Spain’s investment, therefore, goes beyond digital infrastructure. It forms part of a broader European effort to strengthen technological sovereignty, support domestic innovation ecosystems and reduce dependence on foreign AI platforms. If successful, the project could provide startups, research institutions, public administrations and businesses with greater access to advanced computing resources while reinforcing the EU’s ambitions to build a more competitive and autonomous AI ecosystem.

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EU’s 2026 State of the Digital Decade report highlights progress and remaining challenges

The European Commission’s 2026 State of the Digital Decade report shows that the EU continues to make progress towards its digital transformation goals, although significant structural challenges remain on the path to its 2030 targets.

The report highlights progress in digital infrastructure, business digitalisation and public services. Basic 5G coverage now reaches 96.8% of households, while nearly one in five businesses uses AI.

AI adoption accelerated significantly during 2025, increasing by 48% compared with the previous year. More than 60% of Europeans now possess at least basic digital skills.

Despite the progress, the Commission identified several areas requiring urgent attention. However, the EU currently accounts for only 9% of the global semiconductor market, well below its target of reaching 20% by 2030.

Europe also remains heavily dependent on non-EU cybersecurity suppliers and continues to face shortages of ICT specialists, particularly women in digital professions.

The report also revealed strong public support for digital sovereignty and technological self-reliance. According to a new Eurobarometer survey, most citizens support greater investment in local digital infrastructure, reduced dependence on foreign technologies and stronger regulation of AI.

Citizens also identified digital health, green technologies, connectivity and AI as areas likely to deliver the greatest benefits over the next decade.

Why does it matter?

The report provides one of the most comprehensive assessments of Europe’s progress towards its 2030 Digital Decade objectives and offers insight into the EU’s broader competitiveness agenda. Strong growth in AI adoption, connectivity and digital public services suggests that digital transformation is accelerating across the Union.

At the same time, the findings highlight persistent challenges related to technological sovereignty. Europe’s limited share of the global semiconductor market, continued dependence on foreign technology suppliers, and ongoing digital skills shortages could constrain its long-term competitiveness. As the EU increasingly links economic resilience, security and digital policy, addressing these gaps will be critical to achieving its 2030 ambitions and strengthening strategic autonomy in key technologies.

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INTERPOL report warns of rising cybercrime across Asia-Pacific

INTERPOL has published its 2025/2026 Asia and South Pacific Cyberthreat Assessment Report, covering the period from January 2024 to March 2025. The report documents a rise in cybercrime across the region, attributing the trend to expanding digital infrastructure, the adoption of new technologies and increasingly organised criminal networks.

More than half of the countries surveyed reported that cybercrime accounts for over 30% of all crimes recorded nationally. Phishing and related online scam techniques were identified as the most common and financially damaging forms of cybercrime, with 33 % of surveyed countries recorded over 10,000 such cases.

Neal Jetton, INTERPOL’s Cybercrime Director, said the findings demonstrate how cybercriminals are increasingly exploiting AI, ransomware-as-a-service models and sophisticated social engineering techniques. He noted that operational cooperation, information sharing, and cyber resilience are factors relevant to protecting communities and infrastructure as digital adoption in the region increases.

Growth in internet connectivity, mobile banking, cloud computing, and digital financial services has accompanied this cybercriminal activity, according to the report.

Survey respondents also highlighted challenges for law enforcement, including gaps in specialised forensic tools, cybercrime training and technical capacity. The report also notes differences in cybersecurity capacity across countries.

Some countries have established cybersecurity frameworks and institutional capabilities, while others, including developing countries and small island states, reported resource and capacity constraints.

The report identifies jurisdictions with fragmented enforcement structures, limited technical capabilities, and weaker legislation as more exposed to exploitation by cybercriminal actors.

The report was prepared through the Asia and South Pacific Joint Operations against Cybercrime (ASPJOC) project, funded by the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO). It draws on information submitted by 18 INTERPOL member countries in the Asia and South Pacific region, along with contributions from private sector partners, operational case studies, and analysis of emerging cyber threat trends.

It is one of several regional cyber threat assessments produced by INTERPOL, alongside similar reports covering regions such as Africa. The full report is available from INTERPOL.

Why does this matter?

The report highlights how cybercrime is becoming a major security, economic and governance challenge across Asia and the South Pacific. As countries expand digital infrastructure, online banking, cloud services and digital government initiatives, cybercriminals are finding new opportunities to exploit vulnerabilities and target individuals, businesses and critical sectors.

The findings also illustrate the growing role of AI in cyberspace. While organisations increasingly use AI to strengthen cybersecurity, threat actors are adopting the same technologies to enhance phishing campaigns, generate deepfakes and automate attacks. This accelerating technological competition underscores the importance of international cooperation, cyber capacity-building and information sharing to strengthen resilience across the region.

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UNIDIR launches platform for AI peace and security policy

UNIDIR, Switzerland, and Pakistan will host a pre-launch briefing for the Institute’s Centre of Excellence on AI, Peace and Security in Geneva on 17 June 2026.

The briefing will take place at the Palais des Nations ahead of the centre’s formal launch later the same day. It will bring together stakeholders involved in the governance of AI and international security.

U NIDIR said the Centre of Excellence on AI, Peace and Security is being established at a critical moment for global AI governance, as AI increasingly reshapes international peace and security dynamics. The centre is intended to serve as a permanent platform for consolidating knowledge, connecting stakeholders and maintaining continuity between multilateral processes and global discussions on AI and international security.

The platform aims to promote greater continuity and coherence across international AI governance initiatives. It will also promote inclusive global engagement and provide practical, evidence-based policy guidance, resources, and capacity-building support.

According to UNIDIR, the goal is to strengthen international cooperation on the governance of AI in peace and security contexts, amid growing urgency and complexity.

The pre-launch briefing will introduce the centre as a platform for multistakeholder engagement and actionable knowledge generation. Participants will also be invited to express interest in supporting the centre, joining its Forum and contributing to future activities.

Speakers will include Dr Giacomo Persi Paoli, Head of UNIDIR’s Security and Technology Programme; Reto Wollenmann, Senior Advisor on AI and International Security at Switzerland’s Federal Department of Foreign Affairs; and Husham Ahmed, Counsellor at the Permanent Mission of Pakistan to the UN in Geneva.

The briefing will also include an overview of the centre’s governance structure and ways for states and other stakeholders to engage through its Forum. The event will be moderated by Dr Yasmin Afina, Researcher in UNIDIR’s Security and Technology Programme.

Why does it matter?

AI is becoming an increasingly important factor in international peace and security, influencing areas ranging from military applications and cyber operations to information integrity, crisis management and strategic stability. As discussions on AI governance expand across multiple international forums, there is growing demand for mechanisms that can provide continuity, expertise and coordination between policy processes.

The new UNIDIR centre seeks to fill that gap by creating a permanent platform for research, dialogue and capacity-building. By bringing together governments, international organisations, industry, academia and civil society, it could help promote more inclusive and evidence-based approaches to governing AI in security contexts, particularly for countries with limited resources or technical expertise.

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Western Balkans schools explore AI in education with UNESCO and UNICEF support

Educators from across the Western Balkans gathered in Sarajevo to discuss the rapid rise of AI in education and its implications for teaching and learning. The regional conference brought together more than 80 teachers and practitioners from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia and Slovenia.

Supported by UNESCO, UNICEF, the French Institute and the Croatian Cultural Society ‘Napredak’, the event focused on both the opportunities and risks associated with AI adoption in education. Discussions covered ethical use of AI, data protection, safeguarding learner well-being and maintaining educational integrity in digital environments.

Workshops provided hands-on training in AI tools, allowing participants to explore how the technology can be used responsibly and effectively in classroom settings. UNESCO also introduced multilingual resources on AI in education, aimed at improving access to practical guidance and best practices across the region.

The initiative highlighted a shared priority among educators: ensuring that AI supports human-centred learning while teachers remain central to delivering effective, inclusive and equitable education.

Why does it matter?

The integration of AI into education systems marks a structural shift in how learning is designed, delivered and evaluated, with implications that extend beyond classrooms into labour markets and civic participation. As governments and institutions experiment with AI tools, the key challenge is ensuring that efficiency gains do not come at the expense of equity, privacy and critical thinking.

Regional cooperation and shared ethical frameworks, such as those promoted by UNESCO, are therefore essential for preventing fragmented adoption and widening digital divides, while helping education systems remain adaptable, inclusive and centred on human development in an increasingly automated environment.

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South Korea and Saudi Arabia expand cooperation on AI and digital transformation

South Korea and Saudi Arabia have agreed to strengthen cooperation in AI and digital transformation as part of a broader partnership spanning energy, advanced industries and critical mineral supply chains.

The agreement was signed in Riyadh by South Korean Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Kim Jung-Kwan and Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman.

While the memorandum includes cooperation in oil and gas, a key focus is the use of AI and digital technologies to modernise energy infrastructure, improve resource management and enhance operational efficiency.

The two countries also agreed to expand collaboration in advanced technology sectors, including AI, digital innovation and emerging industrial technologies. The partnership aims to combine Saudi Arabia’s resource base with South Korea’s industrial and technological capabilities to support future economic growth and industrial development.

Officials described the agreement as an important step towards deeper cooperation in emerging technologies, with AI expected to play an increasingly important role in energy innovation, supply-chain resilience and industrial transformation.

Why does it matter?

The agreement highlights how AI is becoming an increasingly important component of industrial and energy policy. Governments are no longer viewing AI solely as a digital technology sector, but as a tool for improving efficiency, resilience and competitiveness across strategic industries such as energy, manufacturing and resource management.

The partnership also reflects a broader trend of linking technological cooperation with economic diversification and supply-chain security. By combining Saudi Arabia’s resource strengths with South Korea’s technological and industrial expertise, the two countries are seeking to position themselves more strongly within the evolving global landscape of AI-driven industrial development.

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Australian Finance Department releases internal AI guidance

Australia’s Department of Finance has publicly released internal guidance on generative AI under the Freedom of Information Act 1982, outlining how staff and contractors should use AI tools in their work.

The guidance, dated March and April 2026, applies to tools including Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat, Microsoft 365 Copilot full licences, and public generative AI services such as ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini. It says AI tools can improve productivity and service delivery, but also carry risks that must be understood and managed.

Staff intending to use AI tools must complete the APS Academy’s AI in Government Fundamentals course. Staff are also encouraged to build prompting skills in a secure environment through GovAI’s Interactive Learning Environment and discuss approved AI use cases with managers.

The guidance says staff must use generative AI safely, responsibly, and ethically, in line with departmental policies and APS values. The guidance states that AI should support, rather than replace, human judgement and that final decisions must always be made by people, not AI systems.

The document also sets limits on the information that can be entered into AI tools. Public generative AI tools may be used with non-sensitive official and unofficial information, but staff must not enter personal, sensitive, classified or protected information. Copilot Chat and Copilot full licence in web mode are also restricted from use with personal, sensitive, classified, or protected information.

Finance’s enterprise-grade Copilot full licence operating in work mode permits broader use within the department’s ICT environment, including sensitive and protected information where an AI use case has been formally registered. Staff seeking to use personal information with Copilot full licence must complete a Privacy Impact Threshold Assessment and consult the Privacy Team.

The guidance also requires staff to register some AI use cases through Finance’s AI Use Case Register. Registration is required for certain uses involving personal, sensitive, classified, or protected information, while paid AI tools or systems require consultation or approval before procurement.

Staff are required to disclose AI use when AI-generated content significantly influences decision-making, could reasonably be mistaken for human-generated content, has not been reviewed by a subject-matter expert, or where legal or ethical obligations require disclosure.

The department says AI use is overseen by an AI Governance Committee responsible for promoting AI strategy, supporting safe implementation, advising on ethical, legal and social responsibilities, and ensuring compliance with government legislation, regulations and standards.

The guidance says Finance governs AI in line with the Digital Transformation Agency’s Policy for the responsible use of AI in government, Australia’s AI Ethics Principles, the Pilot Australian Government AI assurance framework, and the Protective Security Policy Framework. It says the department has limited its use of AI to low-risk use cases.

Why does it matter?

The guidance provides a practical example of how governments are translating high-level AI principles into operational rules for everyday use. Rather than focusing solely on ethics frameworks, it addresses concrete issues such as training requirements, approved tools, data handling, disclosure obligations and governance processes.

The document also highlights a broader challenge facing public administrations worldwide. As generative AI becomes part of routine government work, agencies must balance productivity gains with privacy, security, transparency and accountability requirements. Australia’s approach illustrates how governments are seeking to enable AI adoption while maintaining human oversight and limiting risks associated with sensitive information.

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Armenian finance minister highlights AI’s economic potential and risks

Armenia’s Finance Minister Vahe Hovhannisyan said AI could support economic growth while also creating new economic and labour-market challenges. He made the comments during a parliamentary discussion on the performance of the 2025 state budget.

Hovhannisyan said the impact of AI is being widely debated internationally and that governments around the world are actively exploring its economic implications. He was responding to questions about AI’s potential effect on GDP growth and the expansion of the tax base.

The minister cited international estimates suggesting that AI adoption could add approximately 0.8 to 1 percentage point to economic growth. He said AI has the potential to generate new forms of employment while supporting productivity and economic growth.

At the same time, Hovhannisyan warned that AI could disrupt existing jobs and create adjustment challenges for labour markets. The remarks were made during discussions on Armenia‘s 2025 budget performance, as the government’s 2026 budget projects economic growth of 5,4%.

Why does it matter?

The comments reflect a broader global debate about AI’s economic impact. Policymakers increasingly view AI as a potential driver of productivity, innovation and economic growth, while also recognising the possibility of labour-market disruption and changing workforce demands.

For emerging economies such as Armenia, the challenge is not only adopting AI technologies but also ensuring that workers and businesses can benefit from them. The long-term impact of AI on growth, employment and public finances will depend on investment, skills development and the ability to adapt to technological change.

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European Commission opens applications for RAISE AI research advisory board

The European Commission has opened applications for the RAISE High-Level Academic Advisory Board, inviting leading researchers in AI and AI-enabled science to help shape Europe’s future AI research agenda.

The advisory board will support the implementation of the EU’s AI in Science Strategy and provide independent scientific guidance on the development of RAISE (Resource for AI Science in Europe).

RAISE was launched in 2025 under Horizon Europe to strengthen European leadership in both fundamental AI research and the application of AI across scientific disciplines.

The Commission is seeking academics with expertise in AI research or experience applying AI in fields such as medicine, climate science and advanced materials. Board members will provide strategic recommendations on research priorities, governance structures, benchmarks and framework conditions needed to accelerate AI-enabled scientific discovery.

Through RAISE, the EU aims to bring together leading researchers, computational resources, data and funding within a coordinated ecosystem that supports scientific excellence and strengthens Europe’s position in global AI research and innovation.

Why does it matter?

The initiative reflects growing recognition that AI is becoming a foundational tool for scientific discovery across disciplines ranging from healthcare and climate research to materials science and physics. Governments are increasingly investing in AI research infrastructure to ensure that researchers have access to the computing power, data and expertise needed to remain globally competitive.

The advisory board also highlights Europe’s ambition to play a larger role in shaping the future of AI-enabled science. By coordinating talent, infrastructure and funding through initiatives such as RAISE, the EU aims to strengthen both its scientific capacity and its position in the global race for AI innovation.

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