Tech sector assistance needed in AI race

Richard Moore has said that MI6 will have to work with technology companies to counter threats posed by China and Russia who seek to gain advantage by mastering artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies.

In his first speech as the head of the spy agency, Moore is to detail how MI6 cannot develop the tools it needs in-house to counter hybrid physical and virtual threats. Therefore, it is necessary to ‘tap into’ the global technology industry, through initiatives such as the National Security Investment Fund, which earlier this year put £100 million into seven venture capital funds aimed at backing hi-tech startups.

Rapid improvements in Beijing’s cyber capacity over the past five years have led some to conclude it has a capability for global surveillance. Russia too has been rapidly developing its hacking capabilities. MI6 knows that ‘adversaries are pouring money and ambition into mastering artificial intelligence’ in order to develop leverage.

Moore is expected to say: “I cannot stress enough what a sea change this is in MI6’s culture, ethos and way of working, since we have traditionally relied primarily on our own capabilities to develop the world-class technologies we need to stay secret and deliver against our mission. We must become more open to stay secret.”