Technical measures alone are not sufficient to ensure cyber security; much greater attention must be paid to education and raising awareness, from regulators and technical experts to end users, it was said in Banja Luka at the international symposium "Artificial Intelligence – Challenges and Threats in Cyber Security".
The symposium was also attended by the Minister for Scientific and Technological Development and Higher Education of the Republic of Srpska, Prof. Draga Mastilović PhD, who stressed that artificial intelligence is increasingly becoming part of everyday life across all sectors.
"We must keep pace with technological progress and with the advances being made in this field by the most developed countries. However, it is also important to discuss where the boundaries lie and when artificial intelligence threatens an individual's privacy and society as a whole. This is why cyber security is such an important issue," Minister Mastilović said.
He stressed that the Ministry had launched a programme of increased investment in scientific and technological development and that construction of the first science and technology park in the Republic of Srpska would begin this year.
"This year, funding for scientific research has been increased by 2 million BAM, and this amount will be several times higher next year, reaching approximately 10 million BAM," Minister Mastilović said.
The Minister of the Interior of the Republic of Srpska, Željko Budimir, said that artificial intelligence concerns him because, as he stressed, there are two parallel processes at work – one involving advanced technological development, while the other inevitably leads towards dehumanisation.
"Artificial intelligence will certainly help with certain tasks, particularly in the technical and natural sciences. However, in the humanities and other fields, there will be fewer people thinking about meaning and existence, and when philosophy disappears, humanity will inevitably face a major challenge," Budimir said.
He said that the Ministry of the Interior planned to use certain artificial-intelligence-based computer systems to assist its employees.
"We must keep pace with these developments because we know the extent of internet abuse, particularly when it comes to children," Budimir warned.
Professor Raymond Chu of the University of Texas at San Antonio said that people are not aware of how much data is being collected about them or whether that data could be misused.
He stressed that cyber security recognises neither national nor state borders and that it is therefore important to have regulations in place to protect such data.
Professor Dragan Korać, Chairman of the Symposium Organising Committee, said that it was possible to influence the real world through activity in the digital world. He cited as an example the smart devices people have in their homes, which an attacker could take control of through cyberattacks and use to exert influence over those devices.
"An attacker can exploit human carelessness and the data people leave online," Korać warned.
Rector of the University of Banja Luka Ranko Škrbić said that the symposium had brought together prominent regional and local experts in the field and stressed that the event was of great importance, particularly in the era of modern technologies and artificial intelligence.
"The event is a good opportunity to promote the University, the Academy of Sciences and Arts of the Republic of Srpska, as well as the wider scientific community," Škrbić said.
The symposium was organised by the Academy of Sciences and Arts of the Republic of Srpska (ANURS), the University of Banja Luka and the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics of the University.