The conference was organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea, in close co-operation with the OSCE Secretariat's Office of the Secretary General, External Co-operation Section, within the framework of the OSCE Asian Partnership for Co-operation.
The conference provided a platform for cross-regional dialogue on the opportunities and risks that artificial intelligence presents for cyber/ICT security. Discussions focused on strengthening cyber defence and resilience, countering AI-enabled cybercrime, crime and terrorism, and promoting digital trust and education for the next generation.
"Artificial intelligence is now part of how our societies produce and consume information, how networks are defended, also how crimes are committed," said Ambassador Jeong Yeondoo, Vice Minister for Strategy and Intelligence, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea.
Ambassador Hatun Demirer, Director of the Office of the OSCE Secretary General, delivering remarks on behalf of the OSCE Secretary General, emphasized that "Artificial intelligence offers unprecedented opportunities to strengthen cyber resilience, but it also creates new vulnerabilities and risks. The choices we make today about how we harness this technology will have lasting implications for future generations."
"Artificial intelligence is transforming our societies at unprecedented speed. Cyberspace has become a new domain of competition, bringing immense opportunities but also new vulnerabilities. At a time of growing geopolitical tensions, ensuring that technological change contributes to stability rather than insecurity is a shared responsibility," said Ambassador Raphael Nägeli, Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the OSCE, speaking on behalf of the 2026 Swiss OSCE Chairmanship
"The OSCE is well placed to address the security implications of AI through its comprehensive approach. Building on its experience in cyber confidence-building, capacity-building and cross-regional co-operation, the OSCE can help ensure that AI strengthens resilience rather than deepening capability gaps. It is important to continue promoting cyber resilience, digital trust, AI literacy, and the expertise needed for responsible AI governance, while engaging governments, industry, academia and civil society in these efforts," underlined Ambassador Outi Hyvärinen, Permanent Representative of Finland to the OSCE and Chairperson of the OSCE Asian Partners for Co-operation Group.
Throughout the sessions, participants examined how AI can strengthen threat detection, vulnerability management and incident response, while also enabling more sophisticated cybercriminal, criminal and terrorist activity. They discussed law-enforcement challenges, international co-operation and the importance of education, digital literacy and cyber hygiene in helping young people navigate the online environment safely and critically.
The conference reaffirmed the importance of structured dialogue and the exchange of best practices between OSCE participating States and Asian Partners for Co-operation. Participants were encouraged to share national and institutional experience and identify practical follow-up ideas to address the shared security challenges posed by AI. The conference builds on the inter-regional conference series initiated by the Republic of Korea in 2017 and is organized in accordance with OSCE Ministerial Declaration MC.DOC/2/20.
