Kurti: Kosovo must participate and create in the age of artificial intelligence

Acting Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo Albin Kurti took part in the opening ceremony of the “AI & Tech International Summit 2026,” organized at AAB College in Pristina.

In his speech, Kurti congratulated AAB College and its partners on organizing the two-day event, which brings together representatives of government, academia, industry and the innovation community to address technology, artificial intelligence and the major changes they are bringing about.

“Artificial intelligence is developing at an extraordinary pace. Technology that was considered experimental until just a few years ago is now becoming part of our lives and affecting how we work, learn, conduct research, create businesses and provide public services. The question is no longer whether artificial intelligence will change our societies and economies, because that has already happened. The key questions are how to harness it to create opportunities, how to prepare citizens and institutions, and how to ensure that this transformation enhances human potential,” the prime minister declared.

According to him, Kosovo has significant opportunities to benefit from new technologies, thanks to its young population, dynamic technology sector and ability to adapt to contemporary developments. He said the aim should not be merely to follow technological changes, but also to participate actively in and contribute to this process.

“Digital transformation is an important pillar of our national development agenda. We have invested in connectivity, digital public infrastructure, cybersecurity and the modernization of public administration. The ‘eKosova’ platform has brought together hundreds of public services in a single digital environment. We are now moving toward the next generation of our services portal, ‘eKosova 2.0,’ which will provide more integrated, user-oriented services supported by artificial intelligence,” Kurti emphasized.

He added that institutions are reshaping services around life events, strengthening interaction between systems and data infrastructure, modernizing government networks, transitioning to cloud infrastructure and investing in cybersecurity.

The prime minister said these foundations have prepared Kosovo for the next phase of digitalization, in which artificial intelligence is expected to play an increasingly important role. According to him, in public administration it can make public services more accessible, personalized and proactive, while helping institutions use information more efficiently, reduce the administrative burden and improve decision-making.

In economic terms, Kurti said artificial intelligence gives Kosovo’s technology companies the opportunity to move up the global value chain, shifting from the provision of technology services to the development of advanced products and platforms.

He underscored that education faces new opportunities and responsibilities at the same time, as young people must be prepared not only to use technology, but also to create it and compete in an economy increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence.

“Technological skills, however, are not enough. The more powerful artificial intelligence becomes, the more important trust, accountability, privacy, cybersecurity, transparency and human oversight become. Our aim should not be merely its rapid adoption, but its responsible and strategic use in ways that create real value for society,” he said.

Kurti said countries such as Kosovo can leapfrog outdated technologies and traditional ways of working, but this requires investment in people, cooperation between the government, universities and the private sector, as well as an environment where young people can experiment, innovate and build.

He warned that the decisions made today will determine whether Kosovo remains merely a consumer of technologies developed abroad or becomes a creator, innovator and contributor to the artificial intelligence economy.

According to the prime minister, the use of this technology must be responsible and should not focus solely on speed, the scale of development and continuous optimization, but also on building a better society in which every individual can prosper.

In his speech, Kurti paid particular tribute to Rudolf Scharping, the German politician from the Social Democratic Party (SPD), who served as Germany’s defense minister from 1998 to 2002. He said Scharping held this position during the years of the war in Kosovo, when Slobodan Milošević’s regime in Serbia was carrying out the ethnic cleansing of Kosovo and genocide against Albanians, while 19 NATO member states were engaged in the bombing campaign against Yugoslavia.

Kurti said Scharping had played an important role in coordinating Germany’s political and military actions with the other NATO states that intervened in 1999.

He also mentioned the “Humanities and Stability in Southeast Europe” conference, held in Bonn, where on April 1, 1999, Scharping made public and condemned the “Horseshoe” plan, which he described as a genocidal project by the Serbian state to ethnically cleanse Kosovo.

“For Kosovo, our choice must be clear: we must be ambitious. We must build our policies on our digital foundations, invest in people and the technology ecosystem, and create the conditions for Kosovo to participate fully in the next technological era,” Kurti said.

He expressed hope that the summit would support this aim through the ideas, partnerships and initiatives that emerge from the discussions.

During his speech, Prime Minister Kurti also welcomed former German Defense Minister Rudolf Scharping, as well as Minister of Education and Science Hajrulla Çeku, Minister of Industry, Entrepreneurship, Trade and Innovation Mimoza Kusari-Lila, and Minister of Digitalization and Public Administration Lulzon Jagxhiu.

He also addressed the ambassadors, including Kosovo’s ambassador to Berlin, Faruk Ajeti; Germany’s ambassador to Pristina, Rainer Rudolf; Albania’s ambassador, Petrit Malaj; and Montenegro’s ambassador, Bernard Çobaj, as well as AAB College Rector Blerim Olluri, keynote speakers, representatives of academia and the technology industry, international partners, students and guests.

Kurti concluded his speech by wishing the “AI & Tech International Summit 2026” a productive and inspiring event.