Cyprus is putting in the effort to build an attractive AI ecossytem, Chief Scientist Demetris Skourides said on the blockCAST show podcast in Dubai, joining hosts Anton Golub and Demetrios Zamboglou to discuss AI adoption, digital policy, crypto and cross-border tech collaboration. 

Skourides, who also chairs the Cyprus’ AI TaskForce, said the island’s long-term vision is to embed artificial intelligence across key government functions while strengthening its startup ecosystem and data infrastructure. 

We are currently  offering digital services via the gov.cy portal which acts as the digital front, and are exploring options that will improve the citizen customer experience.  

“By 2030, we aim to have set the foundation that offers citizens, personalised government services powered by AI,” he said, citing examples such as passport renewals and visa automation.   

The aim, he added, is to reduce bureaucracy, improve convenience, and create “seamless citizen journeys.”   

The government’s roadmap includes cloud-first policies. Answering to the question of what could be expected by 2030, Skourides said that the government is progressing well on the digitisation of digital services, and expressed optimism that by 2030, at least one department would be a pilot testing personalised citizen services.

Skourides also explained about the work undertaken by the national AI taskforce, and that strategy is expected to be out for consultation by early november for ratification by November.  

When asked about what new roles would be created, Skourides elaborated on Chief Data Officer are also being institutionalised to help manage foundational data quality and support AI adoption at scale. 

Golub, who co-hosts the show alongside Zamboglou, described the episode as a “masterclass in AI,” noting that Cyprus’ approach offers valuable lessons for both public and private sector leaders.  

He remarked on the contrast between AI and crypto in terms of adoption, asking Skourides to weigh in on why AI has progressed more quickly. 

“When they did AI, they got the UI right, and explained how with AI we leveraged the opportunity to unlock trapped value creating an intelligence business model.  Interacting with AGI is an experience everyone enjoys and what we see happening is that tools such as chatgpt/copilot are used as all in one tools” Skourides said.  

“With blockchain, the user experience has remained difficult and intimidating and adoption has been slower, people are still afraid of losing wallets or sending funds to the wrong address citing the examples of crypto wallets.” 

The discussion explored the current limitations of crypto despite its strong presence in Cyprus, where firms like Coinbase and Kraken have established offices.  

Zamboglou pointed to the country’s early regulatory moves and education initiatives, such as the University of Nicosia’s pioneering blockchain degree, as examples of its global leadership in the space. 

Skourides acknowledged crypto’s long-term relevance but noted that AI is currently leading due to its intuitive interface and immediate business value.  

He also said that Universities have started offering blockchain related degress, and the community is looking ino expanding formal training and certification programmes for blockchain-related careers. 

The conversation returned frequently to Cyprus’ unique geopolitical positioning.  

According to Skourides, the island’s role as a “gateway to both the EU and GCC markets” is proving increasingly attractive to startups and global tech firms.  

He highlighted recent cooperation with Dubai Silicon Oasis and growing interest from U.S. and Indian companies, noting that “execution is already underway,” with three American firms having launched operations in Cyprus since the start of the year. 

The island’s startup ecosystem, meanwhile, is expanding rapidly.  

“From 2024 to 2025, Cyprus saw a 71 per cent increase in new startups,” Skourides said, adding that many are focused on health tech, predictive diagnostics, and neuromodulation, often blending expertise from doctors and AI engineers. 

However, he was quick to stress that innovation must go hand in hand with responsible governance.  

“We absolutely reject the idea of fully autonomous military AI,” he said, explaining that the task force prioritises ethical oversight, safety frameworks and “human-in-the-loop” design. 

Zamboglou, who has a background in financial technology and holds a PhD, highlighted AI’s potential to reshape research and education, prompting a discussion about how generative tools are pushing academics to develop more original work.  

Skourides agreed, saying that AI can be a powerful advisor, one that challenges users to raise the bar rather than substitute critical thinking. 

The discussion also explored Cyprus’ AI infrastructure goals, including the need to balance reliance on hyperscale cloud providers with sovereign capabilities for mission-critical applications.  

Skourides warned that data centre sustainability must be considered carefully, noting that the average centre consumes 1.4 million gallons of water, “enough for 15,000 people and that’s only for 1 data center, hence the importance for good feasibility planning to avoid unnecessary risks” 

Education and workforce transformation remain central to the national strategy. From school curricula to upskilling programmes for civil servants, Cyprus will be investing in long-term AI literacy, and he re-assured the autidence that this is a major deliverable within the AI taskforce. 

Skourides described his own mother, now 75, as a frequent AI user for translation and cooking, an example, he said, of how accessible the tools have become. 

“We’re seeing strong uptake among both younger and older generations,” he said, supporting the efforts by the Human Resource Development Authority which has started to offer and integrate AI and cloud training into its official programmes. 

The national AI task force, he explained, brings together researchers, industry leaders, legal experts and futurists, a deliberate structure meant to balance innovation with regulation and cross-sector alignment. Milestones include achieving an AI-first policy by 2028 and rolling out personalised, AI-driven public services by 2030.