World Economic Forum: AI status and the industrialisation of cybercrime
Cybersecurity and AI were at the forefront of the World Economic Forum in Davos from 19 to 22 January 2026, alongside global political issues[1]. Israeli philosopher Yuval Noah Harari discussed the question of whether AI agents should be granted legal personhood in order to clarify responsibilities[2]. In a panel on "AI embassies," the option of outsourcing AI data centres to countries with sufficient energy and water resources was discussed. These centres could be granted extraterritorial status comparable to that of a diplomatic mission in order to ensure data security.[3] Cybercrime hat sich, so ein Panel u.a. mit Interpol, zu einer „Industrie“ entwickelt mit tausenden von „Beschäftigten“, häufig aus Afrika, die nicht nur Geld stehlen, sondern weltweit Menschen- Drogen- und Waffenhandel organisieren. Der erwartete Schaden für 2028 liege bei 360 Milliarden US$.[4] AI has led to a boom in novel cyber attacks, with growth of 1400% within five years, with consequences for the national security of entire countries.[5]
ITU CWG-Internet: WSIS+20 gap analysis and stakeholder access
At the meeting of the ITU Council Working Group on the Internet (CWG-Internet) on 29 January 2026 in Geneva, the consequences of the WSIS+20 Outcome Document (December 2025) for the ITU were discussed, among other things. One problem is that CWG-Internet meetings are not open to non-governmental stakeholders. It was agreed "to prepare a gap analysis for Council on the impact of WSIS+20 for ITU's ongoing work and mandates". Proposals from Saudi Arabia and Morocco for topics for informal CWG-Internet consultations and from Russia for a CWG-Internet roadmap[6] were noted and forwarded to the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference to be held in Qatar in November 2026.[7]
Geopolitics: US withdrawal from UN digital bodies and multistakeholder forums
On 7 January 2026, the US government announced its withdrawal from 66 international organisations that are "contrary to the interests of the United States"[8]. These include the UN institutions UNDESA, UNCSTD and ECOSOC, which are relevant to the Internet, as well as multi-stakeholder organisations such as the Global Forum on Cyberexpertise (GFCE) and the Freedom Online Coalition (FOC). Founded in 2015, the GFCE has over 250 members and is a recognised centre for cyber capacity development, particularly in the Global South.[9]. Initiated in 2011 by then US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and the Dutch government, the FOC[10] has 42 member states and a multi-stakeholder advisory board and has made a particular contribution to the issue of human rights in cyberspace. On 1 January 2026, the FOC chairmanship passed from Estonia to Switzerland.
European Union: DMA consultations and connectivity barometer
On 6 January 2026, the European Commission published the results of its consultations on the Digital Market Act (DMA)[11]. 450 comments showed broad support. There were calls for greater interoperability, data access and data portability, as well as support for SMEs. The scope of the DMA should be expanded to include AI and cloud services. Gatekeepers, on the other hand, criticised bureaucracy and proportionality. On 20 January 2026, the European Commission published its annual EU Digital Connectivity Barometer[12]. According to the report, almost all Europeans (97%) now have access to a mobile phone. Access to a landline telephone has fallen to 41%. 85% of households have internet access. 40% have a gigabit connection at home. However, only 29% of respondents are satisfied with their current connection.
Digital sovereignty: EU-India summit and strategies for "de-risking"
At the EI-India Summit on 27 January 2026, in addition to the trade agreement, a cooperation programme for digital cooperation, AI and cyber security was also agreed.[13] At a Politico conference in Brussels on 28 January 2026, EU Digital Commissioner Virkkunen warned that "digital dependencies can be weaponised against us". She called for greater European digital sovereignty (buy European) and advocated "de-risking" in transatlantic relations as well.[14]
IGF: Leadership Panel report and permanent UN status
On 6 January 2026, the IGF Leadership Panel published its final report[15]. The panel, founded in 2022 under the leadership of Vint Cerf and Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Ressa, gave a positive assessment, which is also reflected in the fact that the WSIS+20 Conference (December 2025) gave the IGF permanent status within the UN as a multi-stakeholder platform. The report contains eleven recommendations, including the creation of an "Executive Track for Decision Makers" within the annual IGF and closer coordination with the Global Digital Compact (GDC) and the UN Group on the Information Society (UNGIS).
Security policy: NATO focus on autonomous systems and drone defence
From 28 to 30 January 2026, NATO held a "Counter-Uncrewed Autonomous Systems (C-UAS)" week in Brussels, which focused on the role of start-ups in the production of internet-based autonomous weapon systems. NATO Secretary General Rutte said: "We see drones used in Ukraine, of course, every day as weapons of war. And therefore, for better or worse, drones are here to stay. Growing in quantity, growing in quality. ... So yes, that means we have to develop and procure advanced air defence systems – also to effectively detect, track and destroy the drones. And at the same time, we need to produce, and at scale, we need to produce a lot more drones ourselves, and also a lot faster."[16].
[1] https://www.weforum.org/publications/global-risks-report-2026/
[2] https://www.weforum.org/meetings/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2026/sessions/an-honest-conversation-on-ai-and-humanity-ca19ea8c96/
[3] https://www.weforum.org/meetings/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2026/sessions/digital-embassies-for-sovereign-ai/
[4] https://www.weforum.org/meetings/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2026/sessions/cybercrime-has-real-victims/
[5] https://www.weforum.org/meetings/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2026/sessions/hard-realities-of-cyber-threats/
[6] https://www.itu.int/md/S26-RCLINTPOL23-C-0003/en
[7] https://www.itu.int/md/S26-RCLINTPOL23-C-0007/en
[8] https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/01/withdrawing-the-united-states-from-international-organizations-conventions-and-treaties-that-are-contrary-to-the-interests-of-the-united-states/
[10] https://freedomonlinecoalition.com/
[11] https://digital-markets-act.ec.europa.eu/commission-publishes-summary-and-responses-consultation-ongoing-review-digital-markets-act-2026-01-08_en
[12] https://europa.eu/eurobarometer/surveys/detail/3175
[13] https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/statement_26_224
[14] https://www.politico.eu/event/back-in-the-game-europes-race-for-digital-leadership/
[15] https://intgovforum.org/en/filedepot_download/263/30225
[16] https://www.nato.int/en/news-and-events/events/transcripts/2026/01/28/speech-by-nato-secretary-general-mark-rutte-at-the-industry-day
