Doha, Qatar: Industry leaders and technology experts highlighted the growing role of artificial intelligence (AI) in strengthening cybersecurity, improving energy efficiency and accelerating digital transformation during the second edition of the Korea-Qatar AI Forum yesterday.
Speakers underscored the increasing importance of practical AI applications in addressing real-world challenges, particularly in critical sectors such as cybersecurity, where AI-driven solutions are becoming essential for protecting infrastructure, businesses and public services.
During the forum’s second session, experts from the Republic of Korea presented the latest developments in the country’s AI ecosystem and discussed potential cooperation initiatives with Qatar in areas including cybersecurity, building energy optimisation and AI-powered technologies.
Head of the Middle East and Africa Hub at the Korea Internet & Security Agency (KISA), Kihwan Bong, outlined proposals for establishing a joint AI-enabled cybersecurity response framework between the National Cyber Security Agency (NCSA) and KISA.
“AI can generate documents, software code and vast amounts of content with unprecedented speed and efficiency,” he said. “However, the same technology can also be exploited to spread misinformation, steal identities, and facilitate cybercrime. This is why we must approach AI not only as a technological opportunity but also as a cybersecurity challenge.”
He cited the growing sophistication of AI-generated content, including deepfake videos and synthetic voices, which are increasingly being used in fraud schemes and cyberattacks.
“These cases demonstrate how difficult it has become to distinguish between authentic and AI-generated content,” Bong said. “As AI technologies continue to advance, governments and organisations must strengthen their ability to detect and respond to emerging threats.”
The session also featured a presentation by the Founder and CEO of EnergyX, Sean Park, who spoke on the topic ‘Scaling an AI-Native Building Energy Deep-Tech Business Globally.’
Park stressed that the future of AI is closely tied to energy infrastructure, describing energy as the foundation that will determine the pace and scale of AI development worldwide.
“Everyone today wants to develop AI software, but I strongly believe AI is not just a software story. It is an energy story,” he said. “Qatar has the potential to become a major centre for AI, not only because of its technological ambitions and investment capacity, but also because of its energy resources.”
Drawing parallels with historical economic transformations, Park said the greatest opportunities in the AI era may emerge from supporting infrastructure rather than software development alone.
“The rapid expansion of AI depends on access to reliable and sustainable energy,” he said. “Data centres and buildings are among the largest consumers of energy globally, creating significant opportunities for innovation in energy efficiency and sustainable infrastructure.”
Park outlined EnergyX’s approach to integrating AI with advanced building technologies, including energy-generating building materials, solar-integrated construction systems and AI-driven optimisation tools designed to improve energy performance.
He noted that rising electricity demand driven by AI adoption has created an urgent need for new solutions that reduce energy consumption while supporting future digital growth.
Park further added, “Energy is becoming one of the most important challenges facing the AI industry. As AI adoption accelerates around the world, sustainable energy solutions will be critical to supporting that growth.”
