Director-General Sir Ken McCallum warned that terrorists are actively attempting to exploit artificial intelligence for drone attacks and could soon develop biological or radiological weapon capabilities.
He continued and said AI may be exploited by terror groups to ‘create new pathogens’ in order to spread death and disease.
The spy chief also revealed that MI5 is already catching terrorists seeking to use AI-enabled drones to carry out attacks in Britain.
Following advances in drone weaponry on the battlefield in Ukraine, where bombings can be carried out remotely by teams miles away from enemy lines, MI5 fears the technology could be copied by terrorist groups to perpetrate attacks here in the UK.
In his annual speech, the director general revealed the emerging national security risk posed by AI was getting ‘serious attention’ within MI5, alongside its work to counter a rampaging threat from hostile states.
MI5’s state threat caseload has quadrupled in the last decade, with the Security Service now devoting more resources to counter it than during the Cold War.
But the spy chief said his agency must consider the threats of the future.
‘Today, AI is already supercharging the cybersecurity contest between attackers and defenders,’ he said.
‘It can produce propaganda and radicalising material tailored to the individual.
‘We’ve caught terrorists seeking to exploit AI to improve their reconnaissance and attack methodologies, with AI-enabled drones adding a new twist.
‘Not yet realised – but the misuse case to which I’d attach greatest weight is AI’s potential to change the stakes on existing or even new bioweapons. These risks are real.’
