This study examines how artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping regional cybersecurity governance, addressing a gap in understanding the causal mechanisms between AI-driven threats and regional cooperation. Using a comparative case study design, the study integrates regional security community theory with new regionalist literature. Methodologically, it employs qualitative document analysis of primary policy sources (EU cybersecurity strategies, ASEAN digital agreements, and Middle East security declarations) and secondary literature, combined with process tracing to assess how AI-powered threats trigger institutional responses. Three cases are systematically compared: the European Union (high institutional density, binding frameworks), ASEAN (consensus-based, soft law), and the Middle East (fragmented, high tension, with specific focus on Iran). Cross-case variation in political trust and institutional maturity enables controlled comparison, strengthening validity. Findings show that AI transforms cyber threats from isolated incidents into systemic challenges, making regional coordination imperative. However, outcomes diverge: the EU advances toward centralized defense mechanisms; ASEAN prioritizes normative information-sharing; the Middle East remains fragmented, with AI capabilities reinforcing offensive postures and securitization dynamics involving Iran. The study contributes a focused, empirically grounded argument: AI not only changes attack and defense strategies but also reshapes regional security logics, turning transnational threats into either opportunities for integration (EU, ASEAN) or drivers of conflict (Middle East). This study design ensures replicability and addresses the validity concerns typical of broad, descriptive abstracts. The findings underscore the necessity of linking technological transformations with institutional structures in contemporary international relations.

Authors:
Dina Jaccob, Badr University in Cairo, Egypt

About the Presenter(s)
Dr. Dina F. Jaccob, Assistant Prof. of International Relations, Badr University in Cairo (BUC). Also, a writer, researcher, and political affairs enthusiast. Authored multiple articles on contemporary political and societal issues

Connect on Linkedin
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dina-jaccob-phd-004a1b342

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