UK faces AI-powered cyberattacks from Russia and China

Russia and China are using AI to stage relentless cyberattacks against the UK, according to Paul Chichester, director of operations at the National Cyber Security Centre. The attacks target infrastructure, with AI boosting the speed and productivity of operations by adversaries. Chichester said Russia, China, North Korea and Iran all use AI across the "cyber kill chain," from reconnaissance to executing attacks. AI removes human limits like sleep, enabling faster data theft and constant new attack methods, though the NCSC also uses AI defensively. The NCSC, formed 10 years ago this month, faces a more uncertain geopolitical climate where cyberattacks are now a critical part of covert statecraft. The UK also develops bespoke AI tools for malware research, while the secretive National Cyber Force handles offensive capabilities.