The 7th Cyprus ICT Conference is set to take place on May 5 in Limassol, bringing together industry professionals to examine the impact of artificial intelligence on technology and maritime sectors.

The conference, titled “Intelligent Skies, Secure Seas The AI Impact on ICT”, will be held at Columbia Plaza and focus on connectivity, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence.

The event will begin with opening remarks and keynote addresses from representatives of the shipping and innovation sectors.

The first session will focus on satellite communications and connectivity, exploring how vessels operate in an “always-on” environment shaped by low earth orbit satellites and 5G technologies.

Discussions will examine the realities of bandwidth demands and operational connectivity, including a debate aimed at separating marketing claims from technical capabilities in satellite communications.

The second session will centre on cybersecurity and digital resilience, highlighting the transition from compliance-based approaches to real-time protection strategies.

A live cyber-attack simulation will form part of this session, allowing participants to engage in decision-making during a simulated maritime security incident.

The third session will explore artificial intelligence and its growing role in the sector, focusing on route optimisation, threat detection and the interaction between human expertise and machine intelligence.

A mock trial will debate the ethics, return on investment and liability of autonomous technologies, questioning whether the industry is prepared for increased reliance on algorithms.

The programme will conclude with closing remarks, a charity initiative and networking opportunities, including a sponsored lunch aimed at fostering collaboration among participants.