site.btaConference Boosts Bulgaria-Ukraine Cooperation in AI and Cybersecurity

A conference dubbed AI N' CYBER 2023 was held in Sofia on Thursday to add impetus to Bulgaria's cooperation with Ukraine in the field of artificial intelligence and cybersecurity.

Bulgarian e-Government Minister Alexander Yolovski said at the discussion: "We are much more resilient in cyberspace than a year ago. My ministry is working for the digital transformation of Bulgaria. We are taking the necessary steps to this end, and we are not slowing down."

Yolovski recalled the powerful digital attacks on Bulgarian government websites and systems after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. "We stood up against these attacks. As we were supporting Ukraine, we needed to find a solution quickly. We created a defence system which helped us deal with that." he said.

He noted that EU regulations on AI are in the making, but Bulgaria needs to work out its own specific regulations.

Ukrainian Ambassador in Sofia Olesya Ilashchuk said AI protects, prevents, and provides an advantage. "It is our ally, but in the hands of the enemy it may become a weapon of mass disinformation and propaganda," she said. "Warfare is evolving from trenches to terabytes. We are building up-to-date defence in a difficult time of war."

Ambassador Ilashchuk noted that the costs and consequences of the digital arms race are unknown yet. "The essence of human nature should remain in sight. Our ethical compass should guide us through the stormy sea of digital weaponry. We need to stay anchored to the democratic and human values that define us," the diplomat said.