An international conference on artificial intelligence (AI) and cybersecurity in civil and military aviation will be held next Thursday.

According to the organisers, over 90 people are expected to attend the conference, which is supported by the ministries of transport and defence, and will feature speakers from international and European organisations, as well as the USA, Asia and the Middle East.

Transport Minister Alexis Vafeades will address the attendees on behalf of President Nikos Christodoulides, and permanent secretary of the defence ministry, Andreas Loukas, will speak on behalf of defence minister, Vassilis Palmas.

According to the announcement, AI and cybersecurity are of great importance in any activity, and even more so for the complex sector of air transport, since every year there are 42 million flights worldwide carrying 4.5 billion passengers.

The same applies to the air force since weapons systems which are technologically evolving at a rapid pace every year.

It is expected that speakers will highlight the benefits and challenges of AI, and suggest ways of reaping its advantages while dealing with its risks, as well as possible partnerships between relevant international organisations and states.

The event is jointly organised by the Flight Safety Foundation – Mediterranean and the European Association of Aviation Trainers, both organisations based in Cyprus, and is set to take place in Larnaca on May 30.