Cyprus wants to become a trusted regional artificial intelligence hub in the Eastern Mediterranean, using technology to improve people’s lives and strengthen the economy without allowing it to weaken human judgement, dignity or control, Chief Scientist for Research, Innovation and Technology Demetris Skourides said. 

Outlining the proposed National Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2032, Skourides, who also chairs the National AI Taskforce, said the country’s direction was built around one central principle, with “AI must serve people. People must remain in control.” 

That principle shaped the Taskforce’s discussions from the outset, as its members considered how AI could strengthen people rather than diminish their role, raise productivity and contribute to economic growth, better serve citizens and customers, and remain trustworthy and appropriately governed. 

However, the strategy is not presented simply as a plan for new systems and infrastructure. Instead, it begins with the people whose everyday lives could be changed by them. Behind every proposal, Skourides said, was “a child learning, a patient waiting, an employee adapting, an entrepreneur trying to grow or a citizen seeking a service that should be simpler.” 

For a parent, this could mean a child receiving learning support better suited to their needs, while an older citizen could access a public service without having to move between several offices. A doctor could use AI to identify risks earlier, an employee could spend less time on repetitive administration and a small business could gain access to tools that improve productivity and competitiveness. 

These opportunities, Skourides acknowledged, come with legitimate concerns about jobs, privacy, fairness and exclusion, particularly as artificial intelligence increasingly changes how people work, learn, communicate, receive healthcare and interact with public services. 

For this reason, he stressed that “technology must support people, not replace the human relationships at the heart of healthcare, education and public service.” Citizens should know when AI is being used and must be able to ask questions, receive human assistance and challenge important decisions affecting them. 

The same human-centred approach runs through the strategy’s proposals for education and employment, with Skourides warning that Cyprus cannot become ready for AI simply by purchasing new technology. People must also be prepared to understand, use and question it responsibly. 

The strategy consequently recommends AI literacy, lifelong learning, reskilling, specialised professional education and practical support for employees, businesses and public servants. Its aim is not to turn everyone into a technology expert, but to help people understand what AI can do, where it can make mistakes, how it uses data and when human judgement remains essential. 

Since a doctor, teacher, lawyer, engineer, accountant, journalist or entrepreneur will not use AI in the same way, the proposed learning pathways would be tailored to different professions and sectors.  

Nor, according to Skourides, can education end at school or university. As AI changes jobs and professional practices, people will need opportunities to continue learning through workshops, online courses, workplace training and recognised qualifications. 

Together, these measures are intended to create a Human+ workforce, where technology strengthens people’s experience, creativity, judgement and skills. As Skourides put it, “The future does not belong to artificial intelligence alone. It belongs to people who know how to use AI responsibly, confidently and creatively.” 

This thinking is also reflected in one of the strategy’s most distinctive proposals, the Socratic AI initiative. Rather than using artificial intelligence only to provide quick answers, the initiative would help people ask better questions, test assumptions and think more critically. 

Students could use it to strengthen curiosity and independent learning, while professionals could draw on it for reflection and better decision-making. At the same time, it could help citizens develop the confidence to question AI-generated information rather than accept it automatically. 

“The purpose is not to make machines think instead of people,” Skourides said, adding that “it is to help people think better.” Like the strategy’s other proposals, however, the initiative would require further design, testing, collaboration and appropriate implementation planning. 

Ensuring that no one is left behind forms another part of the same approach. Skourides said a human-centred strategy must include students, professionals, customers, older citizens, persons with disabilities and people with limited digital skills. 

AI could improve accessibility through voice tools, transcription, translation, visual support and easier access to services, but inclusion must be built in from the beginning. Older people and persons with disabilities should therefore be involved in testing services, while human assistance must remain available. 

Skourides stressed that “no citizen should be forced into digital-only systems they cannot confidently use without having the ability to talk to a human operator or agent,” with technology expected to expand choice, independence and dignity rather than create new barriers. 

This focus on people also shapes how Cyprus intends to compete internationally. Instead of attempting to build the largest AI systems in the world, Skourides said the country should differentiate itself through trust, agility and responsible innovation. 

As an EU member, Cyprus can combine strong governance and human rights with research capability, entrepreneurship and close cooperation between government, universities, businesses and society. Its small size could also work in its favour by allowing institutions, experts, companies and communities to come together quickly, test solutions in real conditions, learn from citizens and expand successful initiatives nationally. 

In this way, Skourides said Cyprus could demonstrate how a smaller country can adopt AI responsibly, practically and at human scale, pursuing technology that is “innovative but accountable, competitive but inclusive, and always centred on people.” 

The strategy was written, edited and reviewed by the National AI Taskforce in coordination with the Deputy Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy, with Skourides thanking the Taskforce’s members for their commitment, contribution and accountability. He also expressed his appreciation to the stakeholders, experts, professional organisations and ad hoc team that contributed ideas, evidence and practical experience. 

Nevertheless, he stressed that the document sets out a proposed national direction rather than a finished plan. Its priorities must now be discussed, tested and improved through public consultation, while its eventual success will depend on cooperation across government, business, academia, research, professional organisations, civil society and citizens. 

The consultation remains open until August 31, 2026, with Skourides encouraging every company, committee, citizen, professional, entrepreneur and organisation to participate. 

Ultimately, Skourides said Cyprus’ progress five years from now would not be judged by the number of AI systems, solutions or pilots introduced. Instead, “the real test will be whether people experience better healthcare, stronger education, more opportunities to work, convenient and accessible public services, greater inclusion, better security and a healthier work-life balance”, reflecting what he described, in essence, as “technology for humanity”.