Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming the chemical industry, redefining how chemicals are discovered, manufactured, monitored and safeguarded. But as the technology accelerates, so do concerns about the new safety and security challenges it may create.

 

Those opportunities and risks took centre stage at the 2026 Seoul Workshop on the Peaceful Development and Use of Chemistry, organised by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in Seoul, Republic of Korea (ROK).

 

For the first time, the annual workshop focused specifically on artificial intelligence and its growing role in chemistry and the chemical industry. The 2026 edition also expanded participation beyond Asia, bringing together experts from across all OPCW geographical regions.

 

Over three days, participants examined how AI is reshaping the sector through innovations ranging from AI-powered chemical databases and machine-learning applications to the digital transformation of chemical research and development. Discussions also explored the leadership, policy and strategic challenges emerging alongside technological change.

 

The programme featured leading specialists from academia, industry and research institutions. Participants also visited the ROK’s Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) Defence Command, where they observed firsthand how AI is being integrated into laboratory operations and analytical workflows.

 

A key message emerging from the workshop was that AI adoption may be more accessible than many assume. While advanced technologies are often viewed as expensive and out of reach for developing countries, experts stressed that success depends less on resources and more on effective training and high-quality data.

 

“AI’s significance in the chemical sector isn’t just in discovery – we’ll see it shaping how and where chemistry happens," said Molly Strausbaugh, Director of Scientific Content and Commercial Chemistry at Chemical Abstracts Service, a division of American Chemical Society.

 

"We’re already seeing this in areas like supply chain intelligence, where AI can assist in creating full analyses of how chemicals are made, classified, and traded – surfacing dependencies and risks that were always there but much less visible.

 

“That same principle extends to manufacturing. AI can inform not just what materials to design, but how to produce them more safely. That means rethinking plant design, understanding when and where large, centralised facilities make sense versus smaller, more distributed operations, training a better-protected workforce, and automating tasks to reduce risk to operators. The opportunity isn’t just smarter chemistry: it’s safer, more adaptive, and more resilient chemistry,” she said.

 

Alongside AI’s transformative potential, participants also addressed the technology’s dual-use risks and the need for continued dialogue to ensure its responsible application.

 

For many attendees, the workshop delivered practical insights that can be immediately applied in their organisations.

 

“AI applications that I learnt about during this workshop are crucial to our institution’s plan to create a comprehensive digital Chemical Management System. Designed as an online inventory, this serves as a repository for all chemicals used in our operations,” said Miguel Antonio M. Brion, Laboratory Safety and Regulatory Compliance Officer III at Ateneo De Manila University.

 

The discussions highlighted a broader reality confronting the chemical sector: AI is advancing at a pace that few could have predicted only a few years ago. For industry professionals and policymakers alike, understanding and adapting to these developments has become increasingly important.

 

Workshops such as the Seoul programme are designed to help OPCW Member States stay ahead of technological change while ensuring that scientific advances continue to serve exclusively peaceful purposes.

 

“The insights gained during this workshop will significantly benefit our laboratory operations as we align with global standards for the peaceful and secure use of chemistry,” said Saskia Karia, Quality Officer at Suriname’s Ministry of Public Health, Welfare and Labor.

 

The Seoul Workshop also reflects a longstanding partnership between the Republic of Korea and the OPCW in advancing the goals of the Chemical Weapons Convention.

 

Since 2011, the ROK has supported the programme through annual voluntary contributions, helping strengthen expertise in chemical safety, security and the peaceful uses of chemistry across OPCW Member States.

 

To date, more than 300 professionals from 48 Asian Member States have participated in the programme, gaining practical experience in chemical safety and security management, the handling of dual-use chemicals, and emerging challenges facing the sector.

 

Responding to growing interest in AI-related capacity-building, the 2026 workshop was expanded to include participants from Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean (GRULAC), Eastern Europe, and Western Europe and Others (WEOG). In total, 21 participants from 18 countries took part.

 

As scientific and technological developments continue to reshape the chemical landscape, organisers say the workshop will continue evolving to address the latest challenges and opportunities facing the sector.

 

“Initiatives like the Seoul Workshop matter because true collaboration requires more than shared goals. It takes shared understanding. Hearing what others are exploring can reframe our own work […]” Strausbaugh said. “Relationships built in workshops like this turn into real applications.”