Daily Digest on AI and Emerging Technologies (14 april 2026) – https://pam.int/daily-digest-on-ai-and-emerging-technologies-13-april-2026/
Daily Digest on AI and Emerging Technologies (15 april 2026) – https://pam.int/daily-digest-on-ai-and-emerging-technologies-15-april-2026/
Daily Digest on AI and Emerging Technologies (16 april 2026) – https://pam.int/daily-digest-on-ai-and-emerging-technologies-16-april-2026/
Daily Digest on AI and Emerging Technologies (17 april 2026) – https://pam.int/daily-digest-on-ai-and-emerging-technologies-16-april-2026-2/
Governance/Regulation/Legislation
European firms launch Disaster Recovery Pack for tech independence
(DigWatch) A group of European technology companies, Cubbit, SUSE, Elemento, and StorPool Storage, has launched a joint ‘Disaster Recovery Pack’ to support the continuity of organisations’ data and operations in the event of disruptions caused to external dependencies. The solution was presented on 15 April 2026 at the European Data Summit organised by the Konrad-Adenauer-Foundation in Berlin. It is described as a system intended to maintain critical workloads even in scenarios involving disruptions associated with foreign technology providers. – https://dig.watch/updates/european-firms-launch-disaster-recovery-pack-for-tech-independence
Generative AI practice note issued by Federal Court of Australia
(DigWatch) The Federal Court of Australia published its Generative Artificial Intelligence Practice Note, setting out the Court’s expectations and guidance for the use of generative AI in proceedings before it. According to the Notice to the Profession, the Practice Note explains what generative AI is, recognises its potential benefits for efficiency, cost reduction, and access to justice, and states that its use must remain consistent with existing legal and professional obligations. – https://dig.watch/updates/federal-court-australia-generative-ai
Kazakhstan introduces mandatory audits for high-risk AI systems
(DigWatch) Kazakhstan has introduced new rules requiring audits of high-risk AI systems before they are included in official government lists. The framework sets out procedures for identifying and publishing trusted AI systems across sectors. Sectoral authorities will compile and update lists of high-risk AI systems based on applications submitted by system owners. These lists will be published on official government websites to promote transparency and trust. – https://dig.watch/updates/kazakhstan-introduces-mandatory-audits-for-high-risk-ai-systems
Indonesia calls for targeted strategy to close AI development gap
(DigWatch) Indonesia is seeking to narrow gaps in AI development through targeted strategies in knowledge, investment and infrastructure. The approach was outlined by Deputy Minister Stella Christie during a policy discussion. Christie said AI capabilities remain concentrated in developed countries, particularly in research output and patent production. She noted that understanding these gaps is essential to shaping effective national strategies. – https://dig.watch/updates/indonesia-calls-for-targeted-strategy-to-close-ai-development-gap
Generative AI reshapes work patterns in Viet Nam
(DigWatch) A new International Labour Organization (ILO) brief finds that generative AI could affect around 11.5 million workers in Viet Nam, or about one in five employees, mainly through changes in tasks rather than job losses. The report highlights that full automation risk remains limited, affecting less than two percent of the workforce. – https://dig.watch/updates/generative-ai-reshapes-work-patterns-in-viet-nam
Ghana expands AI skills with UN and the Government of Japan partners
(DigWatch) The Ghanaian Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations has launched a public-sector AI capacity development programme in collaboration with the Government of Japan and the United Nations Development Programme. The initiative aims to strengthen digital skills across government institutions. – https://dig.watch/updates/ghana-expands-ai-skills-with-un-and-japanese-partners
Geostrategies
Google expands AI partnerships to support digital transformation in Latin America
(DigWatch) A series of initiatives aimed at supporting AI adoption across Latin America has been announced by Google, in partnership with the Inter-American Development Bank. These measures focus on public sector capacity, digital infrastructure and policy development as governments seek to integrate AI into economic and administrative systems. – https://dig.watch/updates/google-expands-ai-partnerships-to-support-digital-transformation-in-latin-america
Security and Surveillance
Kyrgyzstan-based crypto exchange Grinex shuts down after $13.7M cyber heist, blames Western Intelligence
(Pierluigi Paganini – Security Affairs) Kyrgyz crypto exchange Grinex halted operations after a threat actor stole $13.7 million in a cyber attack that the company attributes to Western intelligence agencies. The stolen funds belonged to Russian users, as the platform supported crypto-ruble transactions for businesses and individuals, raising geopolitical tensions around the incident. Grinex is a crypto-ruble exchange serving Russian-speaking users and operating under CIS law. The crypto exchange revealed that hackers stole over 1 billion rubles ($13.1 million) from Russian users’ crypto wallets. Grinex reported the incident to law enforcement and filed a criminal complaint where its infrastructure is located. – https://securityaffairs.com/190950/security/kyrgyzstan-based-crypto-exchange-grinex-shuts-down-after-13-7m-cyber-heist-blames-western-intelligence.html
Kyrgyzstan-based crypto exchange Grinex shuts down after $13.7M cyber heist, blames Western Intelligence
(Pierluigi Paganini – Security Affairs) Kyrgyz crypto exchange Grinex halted operations after a threat actor stole $13.7 million in a cyber attack that the company attributes to Western intelligence agencies. The stolen funds belonged to Russian users, as the platform supported crypto-ruble transactions for businesses and individuals, raising geopolitical tensions around the incident. Grinex is a crypto-ruble exchange serving Russian-speaking users and operating under CIS law. The crypto exchange revealed that hackers stole over 1 billion rubles ($13.1 million) from Russian users’ crypto wallets. Grinex reported the incident to law enforcement and filed a criminal complaint where its infrastructure is located. – https://securityaffairs.com/190950/security/kyrgyzstan-based-crypto-exchange-grinex-shuts-down-after-13-7m-cyber-heist-blames-western-intelligence.html
Operation PowerOFF: 53 DDoS domains seized and 3 Million criminal accounts uncovered
(Pierluigi Paganini – Security Affairs) Operation PowerOFF is an international law enforcement action that dismantled 53 domains linked to DDoS-for-hire services used by over 75,000 cybercriminals. Authorities arrested four suspects, seized infrastructure, and gained access to databases containing more than 3 million user accounts. They are now warning identified users, while continuing investigations with multiple search warrants. DDoS-for-hire services, or “booters,” are illegal platforms that let users pay to launch DDoS attacks that flood websites or servers with traffic, causing outages. They are used for harassment, extortion, or disruption and can lead to serious legal consequences for users. – https://securityaffairs.com/190932/cyber-crime/operation-poweroff-53-ddos-domains-seized-and-3-million-criminal-accounts-uncovered.html
Inside ZionSiphon: politically driven malware aims at Israeli water systems
(Pierluigi Paganini – Security Affairs) Darktrace analyzed ZionSiphon, a new malware designed to target water treatment and desalination systems, which aims to disrupt operations by altering hydraulic pressure and increasing chlorine levels to unsafe levels. The malware combines common techniques like privilege escalation, persistence, and spreading via removable media with logic tailored to operational technology environments. ZionSiphon scans networks for OT services, modifies configurations, and focuses on Israeli targets using hardcoded IP ranges. Its code also contains political messages, suggesting ideological motives. However, parts of the implementation appear incomplete, indicating it may still be under development despite its potentially disruptive intent. – https://securityaffairs.com/190922/malware/inside-zionsiphon-politically-driven-malware-aims-at-israeli-water-systems.html
Cyber attacks fuel surge in cargo theft across logistics industry
(Pierluigi Paganini – Security Affairs) Proofpoint researchers observed crooks targeting trucking and logistics companies, running coordinated remote access campaigns to steal cargo and divert payments. These attacks appear to be linked to organized crime. The findings highlight a growing trend of cyber-enabled cargo theft, where digital intrusions directly support real-world crime. This threat is expanding rapidly, with losses in North America reaching $6.6 billion in 2025, showing how cyberattacks are increasingly used to disrupt supply chains and generate profit. “In late February 2026, Proofpoint researchers executed a malicious payload from a threat actor targeting transportation organizations inside a controlled decoy environment operated by our partners at Deception.pro.” reads the report published by Proofpoint. “While the environment did not represent a transportation carrier, it remained compromised for more than a month—offering rare, extended visibility into post‑compromise operations, tooling, and decision‑making.” – https://securityaffairs.com/191008/security/cyber-attacks-fuel-surge-in-cargo-theft-across-logistics-industry.html
Hidden VMs: how hackers leverage QEMU to stealthily steal data and spread malware
(Pierluigi Paganini – Security Affairs) Sophos researchers report a rise in attackers abusing QEMU, an open-source emulator, to hide malicious activity inside virtual machines. By running malware in a VM, attackers avoid endpoint security controls and leave minimal traces on the host system. This approach allows them to maintain long-term access, steal credentials, exfiltrate data, and eventually deploy ransomware such as PayoutsKing. The technique is not new but is becoming more frequent. Over the years, threat actors have used QEMU for different purposes, including hosting attack tools, creating covert tunnels to command-and-control infrastructure, and deploying backdoors before launching ransomware. Attackers favor QEMU and similar platforms like Hyper-V or VMware because they provide a stealthy environment that makes detection and forensic analysis much harder, giving adversaries more time to operate undetected. – https://securityaffairs.com/190982/security/hidden-vms-how-hackers-leverage-qemu-to-stealthily-steal-data-and-spread-malware.html
Frontiers
Quantum technologies tested to strengthen energy systems
(DigWatch) Energy systems are under growing pressure from rising demand, geopolitical volatility and increasingly complex grid operations. Electrification, renewable integration and digital infrastructure growth are making power systems harder to optimise and secure with conventional tools. The World Economic Forum’s white paper Quantum for Energy and Utilities: Key Opportunities for Energy Transition, developed with Aramco, highlights quantum technologies as complementary tools for specific high-value challenges. – https://dig.watch/updates/quantum-technologies-to-strengthen-energy-systems
Canada boosts quantum research funding
(DigWatch) The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada has announced new funding to support the country’s quantum research ecosystem. The initiative aims to strengthen scientific capacity and innovation in the field. – https://dig.watch/updates/canada-boosts-quantum-research-funding
Microsoft highlights healthcare AI use in emergency response, diagnosis, and hospital operations
(DigWatch) Microsoft has published a source feature presenting seven examples of how AI is being used in healthcare and well-being settings in different countries. The piece frames the examples around pressures on health systems facing tight budgets, rising demand, and growing administrative workloads, and says AI tools are being deployed to reduce documentation burdens, improve information flows, and support working conditions for clinicians and pharmacists. – https://dig.watch/updates/microsoft-healthcare-ai-emergency-diagnosis