The Capacity Building on AI and Cybersecurity program opened on April 12 during the 2026 World Internet Conference (WIC) Asia-Pacific Summit in Hong Kong.

After the opening ceremony, three leading experts delivered keynote lectures, while representatives from cybersecurity enterprises across the Asia-Pacific region joined a roundtable discussion. 

Together, they helped nearly 40 participants from 16 countries and regions gain a systematic understanding of AI and cybersecurity spanning technology, governance and practical implementation.

One of the main draws of the event was John Higgins, co-lead of the Standards Program of the WIC Specialized Committee on Artificial Intelligence, chair of the International AI Governance Association and former director-general of DIGITALEUROPE.

He outlined major trends in AI development and analyzed pressing challenges — including fragmented global governance, inconsistent regional regulations and the widening digital divide. 

Higgins highlighted the importance of technological sovereignty, capacity building and trusted standards. He also called for stronger international cooperation, coordinated standards-setting and open-source collaboration to improve AI governance worldwide. 

He said that governance frameworks should balance flexible guidance with enforceable rules, while unlocking AI’s transformative potential and helping developing countries strengthen AI application capabilities and risk management.

Zhu Xiaodong, president of Hangzhou Anheng Low-Altitude Security Technology and vice president of DAS-Security, introduced the background, market scale and major application scenarios of China’s low-altitude economy. 

He also analyzed drone-related security risks, outlined protection systems for public and economic security in low-altitude airspace, and shared China’s governance and regulatory experience in aircraft safety and insurance. 

As AI agents and autonomous operating technologies evolve rapidly, Zhu said new risks were emerging, including expanded permissions, broader attack surfaces and supply-chain vulnerabilities. He proposed a governance approach of “using AI to counter AI” and “governing AI with AI”.

Also stepping onto the speaker’s podium was Wang Wei, vice-chair of the WIC Specialized Committee on AI, COO of Weibo, CEO of Sina Mobile and dean of the Sina AI Media Research Institute.

He highlighted three major cybersecurity challenges brought by the AI wave. On technical security, Wang said prompt injections, over-delegation and abuse of agent permissions had become prominent risks, calling for stronger security monitoring and anomaly-blocking mechanisms. 

On data security, he addressed issues — including protection of sensitive information, compliance of training data, cross-border data flows, copyright and privacy protection. 

Furthermore, he proposed practical measures such as data classification systems, full-process compliance reviews and internal sandbox deployments. On ethical security, Wang examined algorithmic bias, value alignment and the opacity of safety guardrails, advocating a comprehensive governance framework.

During the roundtable session, senior representatives from Topsec, China Telecom Global, Huawei International and ThreatBook Asia-Pacific shared corporate practice in identifying security vulnerabilities, responding to cyberattacks and localizing AI security technologies. 

They also discussed how business enterprises could systematically strengthen their cyber resilience in the AI era.

Participants from Myanmar, Cambodia, Singapore, Türkiye, Uruguay, Burundi, Oman, Ethiopia, The Gambia, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Eritrea — as well as the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and Macao — engaged in active exchanges throughout the program.

The WIC Digital & AI Academy serves as the organization’s international platform for capacity building around the world, particularly for those from developing countries. 

It aims to support countries and enterprises in their digital transformation, promote digital and intelligent capability development, cultivate digital talent, bridge the digital divide and to foster the shared benefits of inclusive development.