The road to Skynet - NSA to start AI security center

News
By published

US government set to increase capabilities of its defense using AI

An image of security icons for a network encircling a digital blue earth.
(Image credit: Shutterstock) (Image credit: Shutterstock)

AI is set to play a much  greater role in US defense after the National Security Agency (NSA) announced it will be establishing an AI security center.

The NSA, part of the Department of Defense, will combine the new AI center with its current Cybersecurity Collaboration Center.

The recent boom in AI development has shown promise for military application, and the US is looking to stay ahead of its rivals.

Security or something more sinister...?

“We maintain an advantage in AI in the United States today. That AI advantage should not be taken for granted,” Army Gen. Paul Nakasone said in a statement.

With U.S. presidential elections to take place in November 2024, there is concern that China and Russia could look to interfere. Nakasone said that a number of elections in allied countries would take place before the U.S. presidential election, and that the NSA would work with them to discourage any interference.

The level of interference in upcoming elections could provide a good metric to measure the potential disruption to expect in 2024, while also providing a demonstration of hostile capabilities and how to counter them. 

There will still be a human at the helm, Nakasone assured, “We do see assistance from artificial intelligence. But at the end of the day, decisions will be made by humans and humans in the loop.”

As we have seen, AI models can be used for good such as editing videos and creating art, but it also has a more sinister side if abused or modified. With many of the best AI models being developed in the U.S. there is the risk of competitors or hostile actors looking to steal or sabotage AI. This is a particular focus of the new security center, which will work with its allies and private industry to protect and enhance AI security.

Via AP

More from TechRadar Pro

Benedict Collins
Benedict Collins
Senior Writer, Security

Benedict has been writing about security issues for over 7 years, first focusing on geopolitics and international relations while at the University of Buckingham. During this time he studied BA Politics with Journalism, for which he received a second-class honours (upper division), then continuing his studies at a postgraduate level, achieving a distinction in MA Security, Intelligence and Diplomacy. Upon joining TechRadar Pro as a Staff Writer, Benedict transitioned his focus towards cybersecurity, exploring state-sponsored threat actors, malware, social engineering, and national security. Benedict is also an expert on B2B security products, including firewalls, antivirus, endpoint security, and password management.