AI is an “unstoppable force” that the UK must harness for good as the technology gets increasingly autonomous, the head of GCHQ has said.
Anne Keast-Butler gave the inaugural GCHQ annual lecture on Wednesday, telling audience members that the spy agency has developed a blueprint for a new national cyber defence tool in the past few months, that uses cutting-edge AI.
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.
“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.
She set out how Russia is increasing its daily hybrid activity against countries including Britain, and urged the public and businesses to make cyber security “10 times more urgent”.
The agency is “disrupting Russia’s efforts to smuggle western tech, fending off cyber attacks, and countering reckless sabotage and assassination attempts”, and “as we remain steadfast in our support for Ukraine, Putin is going backwards on the battlefield”, she said.
Russia is “relentlessly targeting critical infrastructure, democratic processes, supply chains and public trust” and the speed of advancements in technology mean there is a “narrowing window for the UK and allies to stay ahead” she said.
“China is now a science and tech superpower, with sophisticated capabilities across their intelligence, cyber and military agencies” the audience was told.
Earlier this year, Dr Richard Horne, head of the National Cyber Security Centre which is part of GCHQ, warned that most nationally significant cyber attacks on Britain were carried out by hostile states including China, Iran and Russia.
He said the body dealt with around four of these attacks each week, and warned businesses to be prepared to protect themselves against cyber attacks without needing the option of paying ransoms, because the UK could be targeted “at scale” if it were to become involved in an international conflict.
