The Council of Europe is convening around 500 experts from more than 100 countries at its 2026 Octopus conference to assess 25 years of the Budapest Convention and emerging gaps in international cybercrime cooperation. Kazakhstan ratified the convention during the conference, increasing the number of parties to 84. Discussions cover artificial intelligence, electronic evidence, online service providers, scam operations, virtual assets and other forms of technology enabled crime. Ahead of the event, the convention committee approved a study finding that AI systems fall within the convention’s definition of a computer system. The study examines attacks on AI systems, AI assisted offences and difficulties in assigning criminal responsibility for increasingly autonomous systems. It recommends closer cooperation with the AI industry, service providers and civil society, practical resources for handling AI related cybercrime and electronic evidence, and coordination across relevant Council of Europe treaties. The Council of Europe also opened an additional protocol to the Warsaw Convention for signature on the conference sidelines. The protocol strengthens cross-border recovery and confiscation of criminal assets, including crypto-assets.
Council of Europe convenes 25th anniversary cybercrime conference and maps AI threats under Budapest Convention
The Council of Europe is marking 25 years of the Budapest Convention with a global conference examining AI, electronic evidence and other emerging cybercrime challenges. A new study confirms that AI systems fall within the convention’s scope and recommends stronger industry cooperation and practical investigative resources. Kazakhstan’s ratification brings the convention to 84 parties.