Terrorism and Counter-Terrorism
Algeria announces the non-binding guiding principles for Member States on preventing, detecting and disrupting the use of new and emerging financial technologies for terrorist purposes
(UN CTED – 21 January 2025) On Tuesday, 21 January 2025, the Security Council held an open debate on “African-led and development-focused counter-terrorism: strengthening African leadership and implementation of counter-terrorism initiatives” under the agenda item “Maintenance of international peace and security” at United Nations Headquarters in New York. During his opening remarks, the Minister of State, Minister for Foreign Affairs, National Community Abroad and African Affairs of Algeria, Mr. Ahmed Attaf, referred to the newly adopted non-binding guiding principles for Member States on preventing, detecting, and disrupting the use of new and emerging financial technologies for terrorist purposes (Algeria Guiding Principles). – https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/ctc/news/algeria-announces-non-binding-guiding-principles-member-states-preventing-detecting-and?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR1-B1Dcz4dvpUgOIHcW1c6kWWyF2LLkHap9brz_MbL_7XRgZjtJQNKc8WA_aem_Mk-qCtRj41GRbsnPivYBoA
Governance, Legislation
State of Play: AI Governance
(Samir Saran, Arvind Krishna, Arthur Mensch, Clara Chappaz, Abdullah AlSwaha – WEF – 22 January 2025) Despite the proliferation of AI governance frameworks, fragmentation and lack of coordination have hindered the responsible innovation, development and deployment of this technology. With AI’s global impact, how can we reduce governance gaps and foster a collaborative and interoperable approach? – https://www.weforum.org/meetings/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2025/sessions/state-of-play-ai-governance/
Trump Overturns Biden Rules on AI Development, Security
(Becky Bracken – Dark Reading – 22 January 2025) President Donald Trump revoked former President Joe Biden’s 2023 executive order aimed at putting security guardrails around artificial intelligence (AI) systems and their potential impact to national security, giving a major boost to private sector companies like OpenAI, Oracle, and Softbank. They responded in kind with collective pledges to spend up to $600 billion on building out AI infrastructure in the US. Biden’s AI executive order required developers of AI and large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT to develop safety standards and share results with the federal government to help prevent AI-powered cyberattacks against citizens, critical infrastructure, dangerous biological weapons, and other areas affecting US national security. – https://www.darkreading.com/threat-intelligence/trump-overturns-biden-rules-on-ai-development-security
Mandatory MFA, Biometrics Make Headway in Middle East, Africa
(Robert Lemos – Dark Reading – 22 January 2025) National governments and companies in the Middle East and Africa continue to push for more widely available digital identity systems to allow citizens to connect and authenticate to digital government services and commercial services. In Morocco, the government issued more than 4.6 million electronic identity cards in 2024 and expanded its digital infrastructure with a trusted third-party authentication platform in an effort to offer new services and cut cybercrime rates. More than 7.2 million people are now enrolled in the United Arab Emirates’ official digital ID, known as UAE Pass, and can authenticate to websites. And the National Bank of Egypt has adopted a single sign-on infrastructure that will allow its employees to use a variety of authentication methods, and which will eventually be rolled out to its millions of customers. – https://www.darkreading.com/cybersecurity-operations/mfa-biometrics-make-headway-middle-east-africa
Iran and Russia deepen cyber ties with new agreement
(Daryna Antoniuk – The Record – 22 January 2025) A deal signed last week between Iran and Russia includes commitments to deepen the countries’ military, security and technological ties. The agreement between the world’s two most sanctioned nations aims to elevate “friendly interstate relations between the countries to a new level,” according to a statement from the Kremlin. Parts of the agreement specifically address cooperation in cybersecurity and internet regulation. – https://therecord.media/russia-iran-cyber-ties-agreement
Reinventing Digital Inclusion
(Fatoumata Ba, Paula Ingabire, Karen Tso, Strive Masiyiwa, Robert F. Smith – WEF – 21 January 2025) As technologies reshape our world, the digital divide risks deepening unless urgent action is taken. To ensure everyone can benefit from the intelligent age, we need to take practical steps to bridge digital gaps. What innovative solutions ensure that the future of technology is accessible to all and digital inclusion remains at the heart of global progress? – https://www.weforum.org/meetings/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2025/sessions/reinventing-digital-inclusion/
Financial Institutions: Finding Their Way to Innovate
(Valérie Urbain, Iain Williamson, Alison Snyder, David Vélez, Hisham Alrayes, Julio Velarde – WEF – 21 January 2025) Enthusiasm for AI, quantum computing and other emerging technologies in financial services is high, with AI investments alone projected to reach $45 billion in 2024. However, the rapid pace of technological change is straining financial institutions and the broader financial system. How can financial services firms adapt to the new pace of change and fully capitalize on technological advancements? – https://www.weforum.org/meetings/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2025/sessions/financial-institutions-finding-their-way-to-innovate/
From Crisis to Confidence in Cyberspace
(George Kurtz, Öykü Işık, George Oliver, John Defterios – WEF – 21 January 2025) Some 75% of organizations report an erosion of customer trust following a cyber incident, with damaging effect to business performance and brand reputation. What are the best collaborative and most responsible approaches to build and maintain trust before, during and post crisis? – https://www.weforum.org/meetings/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2025/sessions/from-crisis-to-confidence/
Leaving Asia’s Comfort Zone
(Milton Cheng, Haslinda Amin, Pichai Naripthaphan, Gan Kim Yong, Martha Sazon, Angela Wang Nan – WEF – 21 January 2025) The rise of AI and other emerging technologies has the potential to catapult Asia-Pacific from the industrial era into the Intelligent Age, where the region will need to chart a new path outside the comfort of pursuing tried and tested growth models. What measures are necessary for countries in Asia to remain competitive and how can the region reap the benefits of this new era while leaving no country behind? – https://www.weforum.org/meetings/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2025/sessions/leaving-aseans-comfort-zone/
Security
Cutting through Cyber Complexity
(Katie Drummond, Gobind Singh Deo, Hoda Al Khzaimi, Robert M. Lee, Jay Chaudhry, Oscar López – WEF – 22 January 2025) Escalating cyberattacks, geopolitical instability and unprecedented technological shifts cast a shadow on an organization’s resilience. What emerging trends will reshape the cybersecurity model and how can global leaders harness these insights to build a more secure and equitable digital future? – https://www.weforum.org/meetings/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2025/sessions/cutting-through-complexity-in-cyberspace/
The Forgotten War: Ransomware and Cyber Conflict Studies
(RUSI, Binding Hook – 22 January 2025) Scholars of cyber conflict have largely ignored the rise of ransomware as a national security threat. Counter-ransomware strategies would benefit from further interrogation from this community. – https://www.rusi.org/explore-our-research/publications/external-publications/forgotten-war-ransomware-and-cyber-conflict-studies
Frontiers
Keeping up with Smart Factories
(Roland Busch, Tian Wei, Padraig McDonnell, Gan Kim Yong, Anish Shah – WEF – 22 January 2025) From AI-powered autonomous production lines and digital twins that simulate entire supply chains to next-gen robotics, manufacturers are eager to leverage frontier innovations to build intelligent, agile and resilient operations. How can companies harness and scale these frontier innovations to future-proof their operations in a world of constant change? – https://www.weforum.org/meetings/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2025/sessions/keeping-up-with-smart-factories/