The University of Murcia (UMU) is coordinating AICYROS (AI-driven Cyber Risk Operational Shield), a major European research and innovation project funded under Horizon Europe. With a budget of approximately €14 million and a consortium of 28 organisations, AICYROS aims to transform how European critical infrastructures anticipate, detect and respond to increasingly sophisticated cyber threats.
The project officially began on 1 October 2026 and will run for 36 months. Its first in-person kick-off meeting will take place on 12–13 November at the Faculty of Psychology, Espinardo Campus, in Murcia, bringing together representatives of the international consortium to coordinate the project’s initial activities and establish its research priorities.
A flagship initiative for European cybersecurity
AICYROS is one of three flagship projects supported by the European Cybersecurity Competence Centre (ECCC), alongside AIGENTIC and GENESIS-AI. Together, these initiatives represent approximately €42 million in European investment aimed at strengthening cybersecurity through advanced artificial intelligence.
The project is also aligned with the European Commission’s Action Plan on Cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence, presented in July 2026, which promotes the use of advanced AI technologies to reinforce cyber resilience and protect critical infrastructure across the European Union.
From threat detection to autonomous cyber defence
AICYROS is developing an integrated cybersecurity framework that combines generative artificial intelligence (GenAI), intelligent threat detection, autonomous response and regulatory compliance.
Rather than addressing cybersecurity challenges through isolated tools, the project seeks to establish an interoperable operational environment capable of identifying emerging threats, supporting security decisions and coordinating responses in real time.
Its technological approach encompasses five complementary areas: AI-driven threat intelligence and detection; autonomous CyberOps orchestration and response; secure and trustworthy AI deployment; governance and regulatory compliance; and validation in real-world environments.
The project will also address European regulatory requirements, including the NIS2 Directive, the AI Act and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
Real-world validation across strategic sectors
A central objective of AICYROS is to demonstrate that its technologies can operate effectively beyond laboratory environments.
To achieve this, the consortium will validate its solutions through real-world use cases in strategic sectors such as telecommunications, industrial infrastructures, advanced robotics, healthcare and smart cities.
These environments present different cybersecurity challenges but share a growing need for intelligent, adaptable and trustworthy protection mechanisms.
University of Murcia at the forefront
Coordinated by Antonio F. Skarmeta, AICYROS places the University of Murcia at the centre of a major European collaboration involving research institutions, technology companies and organisations working in critical sectors.
The project reinforces the university’s role in European cybersecurity research and provides an opportunity to advance the development of AI-based security technologies with practical applications.
The upcoming kick-off meeting in Murcia will mark an important milestone for the consortium, establishing the foundations for three years of collaborative research, technological development and validation.
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are, however, those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the granting authority. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
