Cyprus is considering the creation of a special parliamentary committee to examine artificial intelligence and its impact on society, including emerging forms of crime and online fraud.
The proposal was discussed by Giannis Laouris and Andreas Papacharalambous on Sigma TV’s Mesimeri kai Kati, amid calls for legislation and a more coordinated response to the rapid development of AI technology.
Laouris said Cyprus had yet to take the necessary legislative initiatives and expressed hope that the proposal for an ad hoc committee would move forward. He later said they had been informed that an AI committee would be established.
Papacharalambous also indicated that the proposal appeared likely to proceed, based on the information available to him.
How would the AI committee work?
Papacharalambous said the proposed committee should examine how artificial intelligence affects different areas of society, with representatives from parliamentary committees involved in the process.
He cited healthcare as one example, suggesting that lawmakers should consider how AI could affect hospitals, the health system and citizens.
The aim would be to develop a framework for examining the technology’s impact across different sectors, as AI becomes increasingly integrated into everyday life.
Laouris explained that ad hoc parliamentary committees operate for a limited period rather than throughout an entire parliamentary term. Their duration can range from 10 to 20 months, depending on the decision taken by the House’s Selection Committee.
He added that Direct Democracy had already proposed a programme for the committee’s terms of reference. This would include meetings with all other parliamentary committees at least once.
Laouris also said the committee could invite technical experts to provide specialist knowledge, with Parliament potentially covering the cost where necessary.
Calls for stronger action against online fraud
The discussion also focused on the growing threat of online scams and the need to improve public awareness and strengthen the services responsible for tackling cybercrime.
Papacharalambous called for a national strategy to combat crime, arguing that criminal activity had changed significantly in recent years and now took many different forms.
He said the police needed appropriately trained specialist personnel, as well as the equipment and resources required to respond to new threats.
Public urged to protect banking details
Papacharalambous warned people to be cautious when receiving suspicious messages or phone calls that appear to come from trustworthy sources.
He said scammers could use convincing communications, including calls from numbers that appear to be ordinary Cypriot mobile numbers, to trick people into disclosing sensitive information.
He stressed that citizens should protect their personal data and banking credentials and avoid responding automatically to requests for passwords or account details.
“If we want to contact our bank, we will find a way,” he said, urging people to contact their bank through independently verified channels rather than relying on unsolicited messages or calls.
The discussion highlighted two related challenges for Cyprus: developing an appropriate framework to examine AI’s effects and ensuring that law enforcement and the public are better equipped to respond to technology-enabled crime.
The establishment and final mandate of the proposed parliamentary committee should be confirmed through an official announcement from the House.
Also read: Cyprus businesses adopt AI faster than they prepare for it
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