AI is an “unstoppable force” that the UK must learn to use responsibly as the technology becomes increasingly autonomous, the head of GCHQ has said.
Delivering the inaugural annual GCHQ lecture on Wednesday, Anne Keast-Butler told attendees that the intelligence agency has spent recent months developing a blueprint for a new national cyber defence system powered by advanced AI technology.
She claimed that security threats from China and Russia were intensifying, declaring that the Kremlin was “relentlessly targeting” the UK.
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Yahoo Finance reports: Speaking at Bletchley Park, the wartime headquarters of GCHQ’s predecessor, she said: “In the past few months, GCHQ has developed the blueprint for a new national cyber defence capability that will hardwire cutting-edge agentic AI into machine speed cyber defence.
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“And as we draw on decades of expertise in machine learning to reimagine cyber security we’re also embedding frontier AI deeper into our operations – responsibly and ethically – to enhance algorithms, translate foreign language, and find needles in haystacks quicker than ever before.
“AI is an unstoppable force with great opportunity. But it’s also a force with risks.
“As AI gains increased autonomy, we all have an intergenerational duty to harness and secure it for good; to protect our national security, our economy and our way of life.”
She urged the technology industry and those working in national security to “anticipate and drive advancements, together, at the speed of the frontier”, and called on the public to take action “from boardrooms to living rooms” to increase cyber security.
“The AI revolution is now fully upon us – with ever faster pace of model releases, increasingly sophisticated agents, and greater system autonomy – transforming the world with both promise and peril.
“That’s equally true for intelligence and security, where the latest frontier AI is rapidly unearthing the fault lines in technologies that our society relies on every single day.
“The ground beneath our feet is shifting, and shifting fast. Which means cyber security has never been more important.
“That message may sound familiar – the National Cyber Security Centre is 10-years-old, after all – but I’m now saying it with utmost urgency.
“Cyber security is a critical priority for all businesses.
“Our experts are producing unprecedented levels of advice and guidance, but we need businesses to take immediate action.
“Not just to protect livelihoods and customers, but for the front line defence of our nation and our economy.”
The director of GCHQ also warned that Russia is “relentlessly” targeting critical infrastructure, democratic processes, supply chains and public trust in the UK and Europe.
