{"id":61906,"date":"2025-10-09T18:03:15","date_gmt":"2025-10-09T15:03:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/itcluster.lviv.ua\/?p=61906"},"modified":"2025-11-24T16:53:14","modified_gmt":"2025-11-24T14:53:14","slug":"it-arena-2025-ai-technology-and-humans-in-the-fight-for-tomorrow","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/itcluster.lviv.ua\/en\/it-arena-2025-ai-technology-and-humans-in-the-fight-for-tomorrow\/","title":{"rendered":"IT Arena 2025: AI, Technology and Humans in the Fight for Tomorrow"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Can technology save the world \u2014 or, on the contrary, create a threat to humanity? Can artificial intelligence on the frontline make decisions faster and more accurately than people? And will Ukraine\u2019s defense industry become the next global center of innovation? Questions that once sounded like futuristic hypotheses have become our daily reality.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

From September 26\u201328, 2025, Lviv once again became a place where thousands gathered to discuss the future of defense technologies, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, business transformation, and the resilience of Ukraine\u2019s economy. IT Arena 2025 brought together 6,450 participants from more than 40 countries \u2014 entrepreneurs, investors, engineers, and thought leaders \u2014 to show that even in wartime, Ukraine is creating solutions that define global trends.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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At the event, attendees could visit five thematic stages: Business, Tech, Product, Startup, and the new Defense Stage, dedicated to discussions in defense tech. From technologies born in adversity to innovative products opening new business opportunities, startups that have potential to become unicorns, and defense breakthroughs, IT Arena 2025 showcased the ideas reshaping industries and the future of warfare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cWe held the first IT Arena 12 years ago. Back then, the event brought together 800 participants. This year, that number has increased eightfold. Moreover, each year we see more international delegations attending. This proves that despite the challenges of the full-scale war, Ukraine\u2019s tech sector has not only maintained its resilience but continues to drive innovation. IT Arena has become a key platform where Ukraine\u2019s tech specialists can present their products to the global business community and prove that the tech industry of the country has enormous potential to compete with global leaders and set international trends,<\/em>\u201d said Stepan Veselovskyi<\/strong>, Founder of IT Arena and CEO of Lviv IT Cluster.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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AI on the frontline and in government: driving change across industries and institutions<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

IT Arena 2025 confirmed that artificial intelligence is becoming a key driver of transformation across all domains \u2014 from defense to public administration and everyday life. On every event\u2019s stage, experts shared practical cases, research results, and their vision for the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the panel \u201cArtificial Intelligence on the Frontline,\u201d speakers discussed how algorithms assist in making critical battlefield decisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cIt\u2019s about the speed of signal recognition \u2014 just like automatic target detection, but in the electromagnetic spectrum. As threats now evolve at the speed of software, countermeasures must also learn and respond dynamically, transforming both tactics and strategy on the battlefield,\u201d <\/em>said Dr. William \u201cDollar\u201d Young, <\/strong>expert in electronic warfare.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Speakers emphasized that the combination of algorithms, human decision-making, and combat experience forms a new era of warfare \u2014 one in which code, technology, and people operate as a single unit in real time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cMany companies have big ambitions for AI, but only 5% truly succeed. To be among those 5% of winners, companies should focus on an AI adoption strategy,\u201d <\/em>said Alina Okhremenko, <\/strong>Chief People & Operations Officer at Trinetix.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Beyond AI\u2019s impact on warfare, the event also addressed its role in corporate culture and business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cCompanies that focus on AI can earn up to three times more, but it\u2019s crucial to transform processes effectively. There need to be people responsible for this within the company \u2014 a dedicated innovation center that monitors how AI is implemented, tracks processes, and evaluates team performance. This is not just about implementing technology; it\u2019s about changing the culture within the company. Research shows that one of the biggest challenges in adopting AI is precisely a cultural one\u201d<\/em>, <\/em>said Vadym Vlasenko, <\/strong>Director of AI at EPAM Ukraine.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Artificial intelligence is also actively used in government management. On the Business Stage, Mykhailo Fedorov<\/strong>, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, presented a revolutionary innovation \u2014 his digital twin, which Ukrainians can interact with directly via chat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cThe main task of AI is to solve people\u2019s problems. We created a chatbot so that no idea goes unnoticed and talented people don\u2019t remain unseen. Through the chatbot, Ukrainians can share ideas on digitalizing state services, send their resumes to join our team, report issues with e-services, ask questions, or receive recommendations for personal and professional growth. This is a step into a new era of interaction between citizens and the state \u2014 one where technology enables fast, transparent, and effective communication and problem-solving,\u201d<\/em> <\/strong>he explained.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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Technology of war: how defense innovations help protect the country<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The theme of defense technologies ran throughout IT Arena 2025. This is precisely the area that interests our international partners and media representatives, as Ukraine today is not only a battlefield but also a place where wartime innovations are tested in real conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cI came to Ukraine as a volunteer in April 2022, and that\u2019s when I realized this ecosystem \u2014 defense tech \u2014 is bound to take off. We\u2019re witnessing a revolution in this field, and I\u2019m incredibly proud to be part of it. We\u2019ve already closed six deals,\u201d<\/em> said Justin Zeefe, <\/strong>Founding Partner, Green Flag Ventures.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Modern warfare is increasingly becoming a war of drones, and IT Arena hosted active discussions about their role on the frontline. Dmytro Gorlin<\/strong>, Director of Engineering at Quantum-Systems Ukraine, noted:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cThey are the eyes and ears of our army \u2014 they see and hear. We create tools that save lives and protect the country. It\u2019s an extremely complex task, as human lives depend on it. We combine hardware, software, and artificial intelligence.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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Government representatives, in turn, emphasized the importance of digitalizing the military and fostering collaboration between business and government to strengthen defense capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Oksana Ferchuk,<\/strong> Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine for Digital Development, Digital Transformations, and Digitalization, emphasized:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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“For the ministry, the main challenges are insufficient competencies, limited capacity, and working under extremely tight deadlines as the war situation evolves daily. For the IT sector, the issues include a lack of clear rules for cooperation with military IT units, a high number of pro-bono requests from both unit-level and higher command, and limited real impact on the digitalization of the Armed Forces. The solution lies in fostering cooperation and creating a transparent process for legalizing private defense solutions for the military,” <\/em>Ferchuk said.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

She added that digitalization accelerates decision-making and supports the army at all levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The biggest startup battle: which product will become the next unicorn?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Traditionally, IT Arena hosted a battle of the most ambitious innovations \u2014 the Startup Competition. Tech teams competed in two categories: the general and a special one for defense tech and cybersecurity projects. The winners in the general category were:<\/p>\n\n\n\n