Artificial intelligence (AI) and other emerging technologies are quickly redefining the chemical industry, changing how chemicals are developed, manufactured, monitored and safeguarded. As this technology advances, chemical professionals are facing a pressing challenge: how to harness AI's potential while preparing for the new safety and security risks it brings for the chemical sector.
This was the focus of the 2026 Seoul Workshop on the Peaceful Development and Use of Chemistry organised by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). The event took place from 14 to 16 April 2026 in Seoul, Republic of Korea (ROK). For the first time this year, the workshop concentrated on AI applications in chemistry and the chemical industry, and expanded participation to all OPCW regions, beyond Asia.
Over the course of three days, participants explored a broad spectrum of AI-driven innovations transforming the chemical sector - from AI-powered chemical databases and machine-learning applications to digital transformation of chemistry research and development as well as leadership and strategic challenges in the chemical industry.
The programme featured presentations from leading experts in AI from academia, industry and research institutions, and included a site visit to the ROK's Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) Defence Command, where participants observed how AI is being integrated into laboratory workflows and analytical processes.
While AI is often perceived as costly - potentially limiting its adoption in developing countries - the workshop underscored that implementing these technologies does not necessarily require extensive resources. More important is the ability to effectively train AI models and ensure the quality and relevance of the data used, explained Molly Strausbaugh, Director of Scientific Content and Commercial Chemistry at Chemical Abstracts Service, a division of the American Chemical Society, and speaker in the workshop.
"AI's significance in the chemical sector isn't just in discovery - we'll see it shaping how and where chemistry happens. We're already seeing this in areas like supply chain intelligence, where AI can assist in creating full analyses of how chemicals are made, classified, and traded - surfacing dependencies and risks that were always there but much less visible," Strausbaugh said.
"That same principle extends to manufacturing. AI can inform not just what materials to design, but how to produce them more safely. That means rethinking plant design, understanding when and where large, centralised facilities make sense versus smaller, more distributed operations, training a better-protected workforce, and automating tasks to reduce risk to operators. The opportunity isn't just smarter chemistry: it's safer, more adaptive, and more resilient chemistry," she said.
Alongside its benefits, participants also examined the dual‑use risks associated with AI. These risks require careful, ongoing discussion to ensure that this technology is applied responsibly.
Participants said they plan to immediately integrate the knowledge and skills gained during the workshop into their day-to-day work and professional practices: "AI applications that I learnt about during this workshop are crucial to our institution's plan to create a comprehensive digital Chemical Management System. Designed as an online inventory, this serves as a repository for all chemicals used in our operations," said Miguel Antonio M. Brion, Laboratory Safety and Regulatory Compliance Officer III of the Ateneo De Manila University, Safety Officer of the Philippine Institute of Pure and Applied Chemistry; and participant in the workshop.
Why does this matter?
AI is transforming chemistry at a pace few could have imagined just a few years ago. For chemical industry professionals, keeping up is no longer optional - it is essential. Initiatives such as the Seoul Workshop play an important role in helping OPCW Member States stay ahead of these developments by equipping experts with the knowledge needed to adapt to emerging technologies while ensuring that advances in chemistry continue to be used exclusively for peaceful purposes.
"The insights gained during this workshop will significantly benefit our laboratory operations as we align with global standards for the peaceful and secure use of chemistry," said Saskia Karia, Quality Officer at Suriname's Ministry of Public Health, Welfare and Labor and participant in the workshop.
A longstanding partnership in support of chemistry for peace
The ROK has long been a strong partner of the OPCW in advancing the goals of the Chemical Weapons Convention.
Since 2011, the ROK has supported the Seoul Workshop through annual voluntary contributions, helping build expertise in chemical safety, security and the peaceful uses of chemistry across OPCW Member States.
Up to date, the programme has provided more than 300 professionals from 48 Asian Member States with knowledge and practical experience in areas ranging from chemical safety and security management to the handling of dual-use chemicals and emerging challenges facing the chemical sector. Recognising the strong interest of OPCW Member States in capacity‑building programmes on AI, the 2026 edition of the workshop was extended to all geographical regions, including Africa, Latin American and the Caribbean (GRULAC), Eastern Europe, and Western Europe and others (WEOG), benefiting a total of 21 participants from 18 countries. As the chemical industry continues to evolve, so do the topics addressed during the workshop - helping ensure that participants remain prepared for the latest scientific, technological and security developments shaping the future of chemistry.
"Initiatives like the Seoul Workshop matter because true collaboration requires more than shared goals. It takes shared understanding. Hearing what others are exploring can reframe our own work […]" Strausbaugh said. "Relationships built in workshops like this turn into real applications."
Background
As the implementing body for the Chemical Weapons Convention, the OPCW, with its 193 Member States, oversees the global endeavour to permanently eliminate chemical weapons. Since the Convention's entry into force in 1997, it is the most successful disarmament treaty eliminating an entire class of weapons of mass destruction.
In 2023, the OPCW verified that all chemical weapons stockpiles declared by the 193 States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention since 1997 - totalling 72,304 metric tonnes of chemical agents - have been irreversibly destroyed under the OPCW's strict verification regime.
For its extensive efforts in eliminating chemical weapons, the OPCW received the 2013 Nobel Peace Prize.
