Armenia ranked 95th out of 135 countries in the Global Responsible AI Index (GIRAI) 2026, according to Natalia Mochu, Regional Director of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), who presented international trends in AI governance during the 11th Armenian Internet Governance Forum (ArmIGF).
At ArmIGF 2026, held on November 6 in Yerevan, the thematic discussion titled “Armenia’s AI Future: From Innovation and Infrastructure to Responsible Governance” highlighted that the development of artificial intelligence is not limited to building technological infrastructure. It also requires high-quality data, professional expertise, a secure environment, and responsible governance.
The discussion was moderated by Vahan Hovsepyan, Senior Public Policy and Community Development Advisor at RIPE NCC. The speakers also included Armen Avetisyan, General Director of Viva Armenia, and Henrik Sergoyan, Co-founder of COPA.
According to Armen Avetisyan, the combination of AI and the Internet of Things (IoT) could play a significant role in sectors such as defence, energy, transportation, agriculture, and the management of water and other resources. He emphasized the need for a coordinated nationwide approach, prioritizing critical sectors. In his view, around 80% of Armenia’s basic infrastructure is already ready to move from individual projects towards a coordinated national approach, and the main requirement is an appropriate policy decision.
Henrik Sergoyan highlighted the importance of developing local AI models, Armenian-language datasets, and professional capacities. He noted that AI sovereignty for Armenia could be built on the localization of open-source models and the development of domestic solutions, including those capable of operating offline. He stressed that AI systems must be transparent, explainable, and meet data quality requirements.
Natalia Mochu noted that key priorities for AI adoption include establishing regulatory sandboxes, applying approximately 400 AI-related standards, and developing professional skills, including through ITU educational programmes.
The discussion also addressed the risks associated with the everyday use of AI tools. According to figures presented by one of the speakers, 67% of users in Armenia use ChatGPT, while only 12% have disabled data sharing. This raises particular concerns about the risks of entering personal and confidential information into publicly available AI tools. Speakers also highlighted the potential for AI-generated responses to contain errors and bias, emphasizing the need for consistent human oversight.
As a practical steps establishing a multistakeholder platform were proposed by speakers, where government institutions, the private sector, and technical and academic communities could coordinate Armenia’s AI development priorities. Other important measures included improving AI literacy within the public sector, creating secure testing environments, and launching programmes to support the testing of innovative solutions.
The overall message of the discussion was that Armenia’s AI future depends not only on access to technology but also on data quality, people’s skills and capacities, security safeguards, and responsible cooperation among all stakeholders.
