Legal regulation of the use of artificial intelligence in ensuring state security in Ukraine’s border regions by law enforcement agencies

This study is devoted to the legal regulation of artificial intelligence (AI) in ensuring state security in Ukraine’s border regions amid global challenges, including cross-border crime, migration flows, and hybrid threats. In the context of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, launched on February 24, 2022, protecting the state border has become critically important for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. The research explores the potential of AI for automating border control,verifying identities, detecting suspicious behavior, forecasting threats, and modeling security scenarios in the metaverse.Through normative legal analysis, comparative methodology, and case studies, Ukrainian laws such as “On the State Border of Ukraine,” “On the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine,” and “On the Participation of Citizens in the Protection of Public Order and the State Border” were examined, revealing their inadequacy in regulating AI technologies. Based on the EU AI Act, the study proposes a legal model for the ethical implementation of AI that ensures rule of law, protection of human rights, and public trust.The integration of AI with the metaverse opens new opportunities for training border guards, simulating hybrid threats, and optimizing resources-reducing risks during real-world operations. The findings support harmonization of Ukrainian legislation with European standards, strengthening border security, and promoting European integration. The research emphasizes the need for a comprehensive approach to conflict resolution, combining diplomatic, political, economic, and technological measures. It highlights the importance of ethical AI governance to ensure transparency, accountability, and theprotection of citizens' constitutional rights, which is critical for Ukraine in the face of modern security challenges.