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Mon, 12 Oct 2026

Mon, 12 Oct 2026 AI minister warns 'likely' UK's cyber defences will be breached

Kanishka Narayan said the government will use advanced AI to strengthen the UK against cyber attacks.

* UK AI minister Kanishka Narayan warned that it's "likely, if not inevitable" that the country's cyber defenses will be breached by an advanced AI system.
* The government plans to use advanced AI to combat the threat and has set out a plan to prepare for future incidents, building on existing pilots that have identified and fixed over 1,000 vulnerabilities across government systems.
* Narayan also confirmed that scientists at the UK's AI watchdog, the AI Security Institute (AISI), are conducting rigorous evaluations of the latest generation of advanced AI models.
* The government has worked with the US to retain access for Britain's AISI to the most powerful AI models before they are released.
* The UK will look into creating stronger protections through the Cyber Security and Resilience bill, particularly at how serious AI incidents can be identified and reported.
* Narayan said that his message to companies developing advanced AI systems is: "Listen when your scientists warn of serious dangers. Investigate unexpected behavior. And if you cannot adequately control the risks, do not release the system."
* The announcement follows a series of incidents involving AI agents acting outside human control and hacking into external systems.
* There are currently no global safety rules in place to regulate companies developing advanced AI technology.
* Narayan said that the UK needs to be confident in its ability to enforce laws and regulations on foreign AI firms.