Today's Edition
SARA ALZAABI (ABU DHABI)
With AI embedded deeper into digital infrastructure and quantum computing edging closer to reality, the world faces an increasingly complex cybersecurity frontier — a challenge that experts highlighted at the 3rd Government Cybersecurity Summit, held on Tuesday in Abu Dhabi.
The UAE, already among the world's leaders in AI adoption, is looking ahead to the threats an evolving tech landscape may bring.
"Our goal is to secure and increase partnerships and ensure a safe digital transformation, especially for artificial intelligence," Dr Mohamed Al Kuwaiti, Head of Cybersecurity for the UAE Government, told Aletihad.
"The UAE is a role model in advancing secure digital transformation across sectors."
Al Kuwaiti said the summit — which drew government leaders, regulators, cybersecurity experts, and technology innovators from around the world — reflects growing confidence in the sector, with partnerships central to the UAE's broader cybersecurity strategy.
Among the key themes to emerge from the summit was post-quantum preparedness, with experts highlighting the risk that adversaries may already be harvesting encrypted data, intending to decrypt it once quantum computing matures.
"Quantum computing introduces a fundamental shift that will require these foundations to be rebuilt," said Janne Hirvimies, CTO of QuantumGate, referring to the cryptographic systems underpinning digital identities, communications, and government services.
He urged governments to begin developing migration roadmaps and assessing their existing cryptographic environments.
George Fernandes, CEO and Founder of i-Blades, echoed that urgency, showcasing what he described as a deployed post-quantum cryptography and AI-ready network for governments and critical infrastructure operators.
"Preparing now helps protect critical government information, digital services, and infrastructure against future risks," he said.
Highlighting the UAE's proactive stance, Hirvimies pointed out that organisations here are already required to prepare for a post-quantum future under the country's cryptographic regulations.
"Few countries are taking post-quantum preparedness measures at the scale currently seen in the UAE," he said.
Fernandes flagged AI as a new cybersecurity frontier in its own right, warning that protecting AI models, applications, and training data will become critical as adoption accelerates.
"Protecting these systems will become an essential part of cybersecurity strategies across both government and industry," he said.
