Chandigarh University hosted the International Conference on 'Secure and Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence Systems' (ICSTAIS-2026) on June 25, 2026, bringing together researchers, academicians, industry leaders, policymakers, and students to discuss emerging trends, challenges, and innovations in Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, Privacy, and Digital Trust. The conference aimed to promote international collaborations, strengthen industry-academia partnerships, and showcase Chandigarh University's commitment to research excellence and innovation.
Keynote Address by Airbus India Head
Organised by Chandigarh University's Apex Institute of Technology-Computer Science Engineering (AIT-CSE) department and Cybersecurity Centre of Excellence, ICSTAIS-2026 featured eminent national and international experts. Chief guest Joyce Rodriguez, Head of Digital Cybersecurity, Airbus India, delivered a keynote address emphasizing the irreplaceable role of human judgment in AI systems. "AI is getting into realms of knowledge, language, creativity, reasoning and domains that we once thought was completely human, exclusively for humans. But technology, no matter how advanced, can't replace a human judgment," she said. Rodriguez highlighted the aviation industry's 'four eyes principle' requiring human validation for every technology system. She compared AI to electricity, stating, "AI in itself is not going to bring about a revolution. What's going to bring about a revolution is what we build with AI." She urged using AI to enhance human intelligence rather than replace human wisdom, empathy, and courage.
Expert Insights on Trust and Privacy
Former Air Vice Marshal (Dr) Devesh Vatsa VSM, Advisor Cyber Security & Critical Technologies, DSCI--NASSCOM, stressed the importance of trust in AI. "As AI integrates into critical societal and operational infrastructures, the ultimate measure of its success will not be how intelligent it becomes but how much it is trusted," he said. He noted that without safeguards against cyberattacks, bias, privacy violations, and autonomous risk, AI deployment threatens public trust and creates national and economic security liabilities. He added, "By combining technological innovation with strong governance, India is uniquely positioned to lead the world in responsible AI innovation." Guest of honor Dr Murty Chandrapati, Scientist-G, CISO, ISEA National Coordinator & Centre Head, CDAC, warned about privacy leakage from Large Language Models (LLMs), stating, "By seeing your communication patterns, a LLM can easily identify what you want to do or ask. All LLMs are now memorizing about your things." He emphasized the need for investment in computing infrastructure and programming to defend against cyberattacks.
Conference Highlights and Research Papers
The conference featured keynote lectures, plenary talks, technical sessions, research presentations, and international publication collaborations. A total of 158 research papers were selected from 261 received from various universities across India, with 63 papers presented during ICSTAIS-2026. Other notable attendees included Prof (Dr) Raviraja N Seetharam, Vice-Chancellor of Chandigarh University; Prof (Dr) Raghuveer VR, Pro VC (academic affairs); Prof (Dr) Jagdish Chandra Patni, Executive Director AIT-CSE; Ts Dr Shayla Islam from UCSI University, Malaysia; and Prof Dr Anand Nayyar from Duy Tan University, Vietnam.
About Chandigarh University
Chandigarh University is a NAAC A+ Grade University and QS World Ranked University, approved by UGC and located near Chandigarh in Punjab. It is the youngest university in India and the only private university in Punjab to be awarded A+ Grade by NAAC. The university offers over 109 UG and PG programs in engineering, management, pharmacy, law, architecture, journalism, animation, hotel management, commerce, and others. It has been recognized as the University with Best Placements by WCRC.
