YEREVAN, May 8. /ARKA/. “Yerevan Dialogue 2026” forum held on May 5–6 brought together senior government representatives, private sector leaders, NGOs, academics, youth, and other stakeholders in the immediate aftermath of the European Political Community Summit in Yerevan. The forum aimed to advance discussions on the shared challenges facing Europe as a community of values and its wider neighborhood, as well as to address pressing issues affecting different regions of the world.
Unibank joined the “Yerevan Dialogue” international forum as a partner for the second consecutive year. Ararat Ghukasyan, First Deputy Chairman of the Management Board of Unibank, took part in the panel discussion titled “Cyber Resilience in the AI Era: Defending States, Infrastructure, and Trust”, explored the emerging challenges and vulnerabilities facing states, institutions, and societies in the digital age.
Participants discussed the growing interconnection between cybersecurity, economic stability, and national security amid the expanding digitalization of public institutions and critical infrastructure. A particular focus was placed on the transformative impact of artificial intelligence on both defensive systems and evolving threat landscapes, including increasingly sophisticated cyber risks such as ransomware attacks, data breaches, and large-scale systemic disruptions.
Participants emphasized the importance of resilience-oriented approaches, including institutional preparedness, stronger public-private cooperation, and enhanced international coordination in responding to emerging cyber threats.
“AI and digital transformation are rapidly reshaping the financial sector, making cybersecurity, resilience, and governance critical strategic priorities. According to estimates the global economic impact of disinformation-related campaigns could reach $26 billion by 2026, posing a serious threat to public trust in public and financial institutions. The traditional security methods are no longer sufficient, and banks must adopt multilayered protection systems and strengthen cross-sector cooperation”, said Ararat Ghukasyan.
He noted that at the same time, financial institutions are increasingly outsourcing cybersecurity, data analysis, and AI-driven functions to specialized technology companies. The sector is shifting from simple cost-cutting toward long-term strategic investments in resilience, innovation, and trust. Today Unibank is one of the leaders in POS lending, supported by advanced AI-based credit scoring.
The panel concluded that strengthening cyber resilience is becoming essential not only for protecting infrastructure and digital systems, but also for maintaining public trust and ensuring stability in an increasingly interconnected and contested digital environment.
