The first session of the National Commission for Artificial Intelligence (AI Task Force) was held, marking the official start of the work of this institutional body, which has been tasked with updating Cyprus’ strategy in the rapidly evolving technology sector. 

The session was chaired by the Chief Scientist for Research, Innovation and Technology, and Chair of the AI ​​Task Force, Mr Dimitris Skouridis, who delivered a presentation to the Committee members, outlining objectives and priorities. 

The agenda of the session also included key issues critical to the launch of the Commission’s work, such as:

• Introduction of the Commission members
• Definition of board roles and responsibilities
• Formulation of a shared vision and strategic objectives
• Presentation and review of the current digital situation (Situational Analysis)
• Update on the new EU Regulation on Artificial Intelligence (EU AI Act)
• Exploration of ways to accelerate innovation and the adoption of Artificial Intelligence by leveraging the EU AI Act
• Discussion & Exchange of views
• Change management and IT in education 
• Maturity of the Cypriot industry
• Infrastructure for a digital state, with IT as a key pillar for both public and private sectors
• Data readiness for IT and GDPR, and development data spaces.

During the session, the next steps of the Commission were agreed upon. By the end of the year, the action plan for the national strategy on Artificial Intelligence and its applications—particularly in support of Research and Innovation in Cyprus—is expected to be completed.

The establishment of the Commission by the Council of Ministers reflects Cyprus’ commitment to developing a human-centred policy, grounded in ethics and aligned with European principles.

The Committee is composed of distinguished scientists, academics, and professionals from Cyprus and abroad, all with substantial experience in the field of Artificial Intelligence and innovation.

The members of the Committee are:

• Nikos Savvas, Professor of Management Science and Operations and President of the School of Management Science and Operations, London School of Economics,
• Savvas Hatzichristofi, Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation and Professor of Artificial Intelligence, University of Neapolis,
• Konstantinos Dovrolis, Director of the Computational Science and Technology Center (CaSToRC) Cyprus Institute, Professor at the School of Informatics at the Georgia Institute of Technology,
• Sotirios Hatzis, Associate Professor and Chairman of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Informatics, Cyprus University of Technology,
• Margarita Chli, Assistant Professor – Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Cyprus – and – Director of the Vision for Robotics Lab at the Federal University of Zurich, 
• Dimitris Angelaki, Professor of the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Director of the Quantum Optics and Quantum Information Research Group, Technical University of Crete, 
• Giorgos Zacharias, President of KAVAK, Co-Founder and Board Member of Insurify, United States of America,
• Nick Kounoupias, Partner and Head of the Intellectual Property Department, Michael Kyprianou Law Firm,
• Nikolas Markou, Managing Partner and Director of Artificial Intelligence, Electi Consulting,
• Orla Ni Chorcora, Vice President for Europe, Middle East and Africa, Equinix Corporation.

The session concluded with an open dialogue and submission of proposals for the next steps, aiming to develop a comprehensive action plan for the safe, responsible, and beneficial implementation of IT in Cyprus.  

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