Who controls a nation's digital infrastructure — and what happens when the answer is unclear? This session tackles the growing imperative for states to assert sovereignty over their digital environments: from government IT systems and AI deployments to national data policies and technology supply chains.

As cyber threats grow more sophisticated and digital dependencies deepen, national cybersecurity can no longer be treated as a purely technical problem. It demands coordinated governance, transparent oversight, and deliberate policy choices about which technologies, vendors, and architectures a nation trusts with its most critical functions.

This session convenes voices from government, research, and industry to share frameworks, tools, and lessons learned — exploring how digital sovereignty is being built, defended, and measured in practice across different national contexts.

ICCSDFAI 2026 will feature a special panel session organized with the participation of leading Turkish professional associations: Bilgi Güvenliği Derneği (Information Security Association), Türkiye and Yapay Zeka Ekosistemi Derneği (Artificial Intelligence Ecosystem Association), Türkiye.

The session will bring together representatives of cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, academia, industry, and public-sector ecosystems to discuss regional cooperation, digital trust, AI-driven cybersecurity, talent development, and the role of professional associations in strengthening cyber resilience.

Organized with:

• Bilgi Güvenliği Derneği, Türkiye
• Yapay Zeka Ekosistemi Derneği, Türkiye

Key Topics:

• Cybersecurity ecosystem development
• AI applications in security and digital transformation
• Public–private–academic collaboration
• Professional certification, skills, and talent pipelines
• Regional cooperation between Türkiye and Central Asia