“AI misuse amid cyber offensives from hostile nations” Heightening national security concerns in the UK put existing cyber defense systems to the test – https://economy.ac/

“AI misuse amid cyber offensives from hostile nations” Heightening national security concerns in the UK put existing cyber defense systems to the test  https://economy.ac/

In the UK, vigilance against national security threats is increasing. Attempts at sabotage and cyber attacks backed by hostile governments and intelligence agencies such as Russia and Iran are expanding. Meanwhile, advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) technology are accelerating the speed and broadening the scope of cyber attacks, raising concerns about the defense capabilities of the UK government and businesses. Experts point out that to minimize these AI-generated threats, it is necessary to establish an environment that can detect and respond to anomalous behavior in real time beyond the conventional security systems centered on firewalls and antivirus software. According to a report by The Guardian on the 13th (local time), Ken McCallum, director of the UK Security Intelligence Service (MI5), stated during the annual security threat assessment speech held at MI5 headquarters in London that national security threats linked to foreign governments are rapidly expanding.

McCallum said, "As of 2026, MI5 is allocating more resources to counter national-level threats than during the Cold War era," adding, "The number of national threat-related cases handled has quadrupled over the past decade." He also explained that prosecutions and convictions related to Russia, Iran, China, and others are ongoing, and that dozens of people have been arrested within three years since the implementation of the National Security Act in 2023. McCallum identified Russia as