Advocating for the secure use of AI technologies, Kaspersky has signed the AI Pact, a European Commission initiative that aims to prepare organisations for the implementation of the AI Act – the first ever comprehensive legal framework on AI worldwide, adopted by the European Union (EU). The pledge signing reflects Kaspersky’s wider commitment to promote and facilitate the prudent and responsible use of AI technologies, recognising the importance of this stance within the cybersecurity field.
The EU AI Act seeks to encourage trustworthy AI in the European region and beyond by ensuring that AI technologies comply with safety and ethical principles and by addressing AI-associated risks. Enacted in 2024, the AI Act is set to become fully applicable¹ in mid-2026. The AI Pact aims to facilitate transition to the new regulation by inviting organisations to proactively work on implementing AI Act key provisions.
By signing the pledge, Kaspersky has taken on three core commitments relating to AI technology use, namely to:
- Adopt an AI governance strategy to foster the uptake of AI in the company and work towards future compliance with the AI Act;
- Carry out a mapping of AI systems provided or deployed in areas that would be considered high-risk under the AI Act;
- Promote awareness and AI literacy of the company’s staff and other persons dealing with AI systems on their behalf, considering their technical knowledge, experience, education and training and the context the AI systems are to be used in.
In addition to core commitments, Kaspersky has vowed to conduct the profiling of foreseeable risks to rights of persons that might be affected through the use of AI systems, ensure that individuals are informed, when they are directly interacting with an AI system, and inform employees about the deployment of AI systems at the workplace.
"As we witness the rapid deployment of AI technologies, it's crucial to ensure that the drive for innovation is balanced with proper risk management," comments Eugene Kaspersky, founder and CEO of Kaspersky. "Having been an advocate for AI literacy and the sharing of knowledge about AI-related risks and threats for years, we're happy to join the ranks of organisations working to help companies responsibly and securely benefit from AI technologies. We'll be working to further advance transparent and ethical AI practices and contribute to building confidence in this technology."
Kaspersky has a vast experience of employing AI technologies in its protection technologies. For close to 20 years, the company has used AI-powered automation to enhance the security and privacy of its customers and detect the widest range of cyberthreats. With AI systems becoming increasingly prevalent, Kaspersky is committed to sharing the expertise accumulated in its AI Technology Research Center to ensure that organisations are well-positioned to tackle risks that come with AI system deployment.
To assist practitioners in implementing AI systems and equip them with specific recommendations on how to deploy AI securely, Kaspersky experts have developed “Guidelines for Secure Development and Deployment of AI Systems,” which were presented during the 2024 UN Internet Governance Forum. In addition to security considerations, Kaspersky emphasises the ethical use of AI technologies and has formulated principles of ethical use of AI systems in cybersecurity, inviting other cybersecurity providers to join and follow these principles.
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¹ With certain exceptions outlined in the regulation: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32024R1689
