December 04, 2025
toDecember 05, 2025

Securing the Digital Economy: Key Takeaways from the 2025 French-American Foundation Cyber Security Conference

The French-American Foundation (FAF) convened its Cyber Security Conference on December 4–5, 2025, in Washington, D.C., bringing together senior leaders from government, industry, academia, and civil society from both sides of the Atlantic. Chaired by General (ret.) Jean-Paul Paloméros, former NATO Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, and Dr. Cara LaPointe of the Center for Security and Emerging Technology, the conference addressed the theme of Cyber Security in the Global Digital Economy. The event featured keynote addresses, expert panels, breakout sessions, and a reception at the French Ambassador’s residence, underscoring the diplomatic significance of transatlantic cyber cooperation.

Participants included representatives from Microsoft, Airbus, Cisco, Orange Cyberdefense, Mastercard, Sekoia.io, and multiple U.S. and French government agencies, including a fireside chat with Anne Neuberger, former U.S. Deputy National Security Advisor. The program was structured to move from broad industry perspectives on risk to focused technical and policy discussions on AI, telecommunications threats, defense autonomy, and international cooperation. The two-day event delivered an urgent message: the digital economy that powers global commerce is under unprecedented threat, and only coordinated transatlantic action can protect it.

Several critical themes emerged. First, artificial intelligence is reshaping the cyber battlefield in both directions. Panelists described generative AI not merely as disruptive but as a true discontinuity—a paradigm shift—with agentic AI poised to be the transformational next generation. AI is already being weaponized by state-backed hacking groups, yet it is simultaneously indispensable for cyber defense and malware remediation. The conference stressed that as multi-model agentic chains proliferate across borders, traditional notions of national cyber sovereignty will need to be fundamentally rethought.

Second, critical infrastructure remains a prime target for nation-state actors including China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. Threats like Salt Typhoon underscore the need for deep, sustained public-private partnerships and clearer international norms—particularly around distinguishing legitimate law enforcement tools from authoritarian surveillance.

Another area the conference explored was the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and the resulting security situation in Europe. Panelists discussed the convergence of cyber, AI, and autonomy and highlighted that the conflict in Ukraine has become a proving ground for autonomous systems and electronic warfare, revealing both transformational potential and sobering supply chain fragilities. Panelists with on-the-ground experience described a GPS- and communications-denied environment where cyber and electronic warfare now function as “soft kill artillery,” and where logistics failures constrain entire warfighting strategies.

Panelists reinforced that innovation and security are not at odds. Cyber security must be built in by design, supported by risk management cultures rather than mere compliance checklists.

Finally, the conference dove deep into discussions about the importance of international and trans-sector cooperation in creating effective cyber security within a democracy.  Panelists discussed both challenges and opportunities for bringing private sector and government together, and for cooperation between nations, to combat the increasingly complex and fast-moving landscape of both cyber crime and cyber threats from or sanctioned by nation-states.

This conference is critical because cyber threats do not respect borders. The French-American Foundation’s ability to bring together senior leaders from both sides of the Atlantic creates exactly the kind of trust networks and shared understanding needed to defend the digital foundations of democratic societies. From NATO generals to tech company executives and government leaders, panelists engaged on the most important cyber security issues facing all of us today.

For more information about the conference, or to be added to our Cyber Security mailing list, please email Anne-Lise Sehi at asehi@frenchamerican.org.