MI5 chief warns AI could amplify terrorist and state‑sponsored threats in UK

At MI5’s annual threat update, Director General Sir Ken McCallum said artificial intelligence is enabling new terrorist capabilities such as AI‑guided drones and could facilitate the design of bioweapons, putting banking, aviation and health services at risk. He noted a four‑fold increase in state‑sponsored threats over the past ten years, prompting MI5 to shift more resources to counter them than at any point during the Cold War.

In response, MI5 has established an AI Threat Assessment Centre, drawing expertise from the AI Security Institute, the National Crime Agency and the National Cyber Security Centre, to assess AI‑driven risks and separate hype from reality. He called for greater resources for police, intelligence agencies and public institutions to address the growing challenges.