Cyprus urged to pursue agile, trust-based AI ecosystem

Nicosia, Cyprus. Cyprus should aim to become “the most agile” rather than the biggest player in artificial intelligence, placing citizens and trust at the centre of its ambitions, National AI Taskforce member Orfhlaith Ni Chorcora said.

She said the country’s AI strategy seeks to support research and innovation while maintaining Cyprus’ position as an innovation hub in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Building an AI ecosystem

Ni Chorcora, a senior IT executive with more than 30 years of international experience, has held senior roles at Oracle and Equinix. Her work has focused on digital transformation, ecosystem development and strategic partnerships across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

She said innovation depends on a diverse ecosystem involving researchers, funders, founders, technology providers, innovation hubs and skilled talent, supported by business-friendly regulation, ease of doing business and trust.

Ni Chorcora said Cyprus has experience in developing ecosystems, citing the maritime, financial services and tourism sectors. She said ecosystems are part of Cyprus’ “DNA”.

Strategy institutions

According to Ni Chorcora, the AI strategy includes a Government Innovation Hub, where ideas and requirements for sovereign capabilities can be prototyped and tested before reaching citizens.

It also provides for an AI Industrial Centre of Excellence aimed at bringing innovation from laboratories into industrial use and preparing for the adoption of agentic AI.

Pharos-CY, Cyprus’ AI Factory antenna, is intended to link the country with the wider European innovation network rather than develop capabilities in isolation.

Entrepreneurship and collaboration

Ni Chorcora said the strategy includes startup incubation, shared testbeds and sandboxes, as well as structured partnerships between industry, academia and government intended to turn research into companies.

She said these institutions would not succeed as a checklist of separate bodies, but would require meaningful engagement among founders, researchers and citizens, as well as confidence that the opportunities created produce tangible results.

Cyprus is again being called on to create the conditions and attract the diversity needed to thrive in the AI era, she said, adding that being agile was more important than being the biggest in a period of rapid innovation.