[NCSG-EC] Fwd: [SOAC-Leaders-ICANNMeeting-Planning] ICANN86 Community Session Topic Vote Open 24 - 27 March 2026 23:59 UTC

[Rafik Dammak]

hi all,

For ICANN86 community sessions, there are 2 topics proposed and I will have
to vote on behalf of NCSG if we support any, both or none of the topics.
the deadline for vote is the 27th March

for into the proposals are:

*Plenary Session Topic Proposal 1:*

   - *Proposed by*: GAC
   - *Title*: Cross-Community Dialogue on the Feasibility of a Platform for
   ASP-Supported New gTLDs
   - *Description*: This plenary session would convene the community to
   assess the feasibility and implications of leveraging a platform through
   which new gTLDs supported by the Applicant Support Program (ASP) could
   transition toward operating their own back-end registry services. Building
   on GAC advice from ICANN79 and ICANN80 and subsequent exchanges with the
   ICANN Board, the session would provide a structured opportunity for
   cross-community dialogue involving the GAC, GNSO, ALAC, ICANN org, and
   other relevant stakeholders. The discussion would aim to clarify the scope
   and objectives of the proposed platform concept; examine operational,
   financial, and governance considerations; explore interactions with
   existing Registry Service Providers (RSPs) and the RSP framework; and
   consider ICANN’s potential role, consistent with its mission and remit. The
   session would be exploratory in nature, focused on developing a shared
   understanding of feasibility, policy implications, and potential next steps.
   - *Potential Speakers*: GAC representative, GNSO Council representative,
   ALAC representative, ICANN org representative (RSP framework), ICANN org
   representative (ASP implementation), Neutral facilitator
   - *Format*: Facilitated plenary dialogue with short framing
   interventions (5–7 minutes each), followed by moderated cross-community
   discussion and community engagement.
   - *Additional Comments/Suggestions*: Advance circulation of concise
   background materials (relevant GAC advice, Board correspondence, and
   overview of the RSP framework and ASP scope) would support a focused
   discussion. Scheduling earlier in the meeting is recommended to allow
   follow-up discussions if needed.


   -

*Plenary Session Topic Proposal 2:*

   - *Proposed by: *BC/SSAC
   - *Title:* The Current and Coming Impact of Artificial Intelligence on
   DNS Abuse
   - *Description:* This plenary is intended to educate the ICANN community
   on the rapidly emerging role of artificial intelligence (AI) in
   accelerating and transforming DNS abuse. While still in early stages, AI is
   poised to significantly increase the speed, scale, and sophistication of
   abuse campaigns, fundamentally changing the threat landscape facing the DNS
   ecosystem. AI is not only increasing the velocity and volume of attacks but
   also lowering the barrier to entry. AI-assisted tools now enable
   individuals with limited technical expertise to design and launch complex
   abuse campaigns that previously required specialized knowledge. As a
   result, the risk is no longer limited to well-resourced threat actors;
   smaller and less sophisticated actors can now generate highly effective
   phishing, domain generation, impersonation, and infrastructure abuse at
   scale. This shift represents a structural change in DNS abuse dynamics. AI
   is improving the quality and effectiveness of attacks, enabling rapid
   content generation, automated infrastructure creation, and adaptive
   targeting that can outpace traditional detection and mitigation approaches.
   The plenary will bring together technical experts, security practitioners,
   and policy stakeholders to examine:
      -
         - how AI is currently being used in DNS abuse campaigns
         - how the threat is expected to evolve over the next 3–5 years
         - what this means for registries, registrars, and the broader DNS
         ecosystem
         - where ICANN can play a constructive role in coordination,
         awareness, and mitigation
      - We will focus on three key areas: the democratization of attack
      tools, the move toward machine-speed abuse, and the potential
for ICANN-led
      coordination in developing AI-resilient defenses. The session
will be both
      informative as well as interactive, including audience participation and
      audience polling.
   - *Potential Speakers:* John Crain, ICANN CTO; Peter Lowe, M3AAWG; Dr.
   Neal Jetton, Interpol; Gabriel Andrews, FBI; Laurin Weissinger, Tufts
   University, SSAC member; (others, tbd)
   - *Format:* The format will be a panel discussion for 60 minutes,
   followed by 30 minutes of open Q&A.
   - *Additional Comments/Suggestions:* A preference for the beginning of
   the meeting, but can accommodate the end of the meeting if no other option
   exists.

Best,

Rafik

---------- Forwarded message ---------

Dear Community Leaders,



Please find the ICANN86 Community Session Topic vote for topic submissions.
This vote will be open from today, 24th March – 27th March 2026 at 23:59
UTC.

                `

As per usual, votes will be considered at an SO/AC level, multiple votes
per SO/AC will be aggregated. As a reminder, the group discussed on the
ICANN86 Kick Off call that having a Review of Reviews session on day 1 in
Seville would be helpful.



Survey link:



Please find the timeline and process explanation below:



*ICANN86 COMMUNITY SESSION TOPICS TIMELINE v2*

Form circulated for Community Session topic submission: 02 March 2026

Staff will notify the mailing list upon each submission of topic.

Deadline: 23 March 2026 23:59 UTC

ICANN86 Kick off call: ICANN85 Debrief & ICANN86 discussion on block
schedule

Week of the 23 March.

Vote for Community Session topic: 24 March 2026 - 27 March 2026

ICANN86 Production call #2: 30 March 2026 Vote results & decision



Thank you,



Kind regards,



Nathalie
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