AI poses new national security threat, outgoing deputy police chief warns – South China Morning Post

AI poses new national security threat, outgoing deputy police chief warns  South China Morning Post

Retiring deputy police commissioner Andrew Kan Kai-yan has said artificial intelligence (AI) poses a new threat to national security in Hong Kong, with the force turning to the emerging technology to help combat the issue. Kan raised the alarm after state security minister Chen Yixin warned last week of rising national security risks posed by AI. The senior mainland Chinese official also called for robust risk prevention frameworks and stronger global governance of the technology. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu outlined plans in his annual policy address last week to adopt an AI risk‑governance strategy, focusing on combating the use of such technologies in criminal activities and formulating safety‑management guidelines for AI agents.

Kan, 57, who headed the National Security Department, began his pre-retirement leave on Tuesday after 35 years on the force. Discussing the new threat, the outgoing police official said he had seen overseas examples of AI agents launching attacks on critical infrastructure and other companies’ computer systems, as well as generating misinformation. Anti-government forces could also use AI to commit crimes related to national security, he said. “I totally agree … that AI poses a new security threat to national security,” he said. “We have been working to improve our capability in AI in this aspect. I can also tell you one of the tactics to combat