PRAGUE (AP) 鈥� British spies are already using artificial intelligence to hamper the supply of weapons to Russia, the head of Britain鈥檚 MI6 agency said Wednesday, predicting that Western spies will increasingly have to focus on tracking the malign use of AI by hostile states.
In a speech that depicted machine learning as both a huge potential asset and a major threat, Richard Moore said his staff at Britain's foreign intelligence agency "are combining their skills with AI and bulk data to identify and disrupt the flow of weapons to Russia for use against Ukraine."
Calling China the 鈥渟ingle most important strategic focus鈥� for his agency, Moore said, "we will increasingly be tasked with obtaining intelligence on how hostile states are using AI in damaging, reckless and unethical ways.鈥�
Moore, who has previously warned that the West was falling behind rivals in the AI race, said his service 鈥渢ogether with our allies, intends to win the race to master the ethical and safe use of AI.鈥�
But he said AI would not replace the need for human spies, arguing that the 鈥渉uman factor鈥� will remain crucial in an era of rapidly evolving machine learning.
鈥淎s AI trawls the ocean of open source, there will be even greater value in landing, with a well-cast fly, the secrets that lie beyond the reach of its nets,鈥� he said.
He argued that 鈥渢he unique characteristics of human agents in the right places will become still more significant,鈥� highlighting spies鈥� ability to 鈥渋nfluence decisions inside a government or terrorist group.鈥�
Moore also told an audience at the British ambassador鈥檚 residence in Prague that Russia's military campaign in Ukraine had run out of steam and 鈥渢here appears to be little prospect of the Russian forces regaining momentum.鈥�
He said Ukraine's counteroffensive was proving 鈥渁 hard grind,鈥� but he was optimistic it would succeed.
Moore said the government of President Vladimir Putin was beset by 鈥渧enality, infighting and callous incompetence" and the mutiny by Wagner Group mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin had 鈥渆xposed the inexorable decay of the unstable autocracy over which Putin presides.鈥�
He accused Russia of using Wagner as a tool of imperialism in Africa, offering leaders in the Central African Republic, Mali and other countries a 鈥淔austian pact鈥� of protection in return for handing over mineral wealth to Russia.
Moore also called out Iran for fueling further conflict in Ukraine by supplying Russia with drones and other weapons 鈥� a policy he said 鈥渉as provoked internal quarrels at the highest level of the regime in Tehran.鈥�
Speaking publicly about spycraft is still something of a novelty for Britain鈥檚 intelligence services. The government refused even to confirm the existence of MI6 until 1992, and public speeches by its leaders are infrequent.
Moore chose to give Wednesday's address in the Czech capital, home of the 1968 鈥淧rague Spring鈥� freedom movement that was crushed by Soviet tanks.
Moore鈥檚 only other public speech since becoming head of the Secret Intelligence Service, or MI6, almost three years ago also touched on the power and threat posed by AI. In the November 2021 address, he accused the West of being slow to reckon with AI鈥檚 disruptive impact and of lagging behind adversaries who are 鈥減ouring money and ambition鈥� into AI and other cutting-edge technologies.
In that speech, he said China was the agency鈥檚 鈥渟ingle greatest priority鈥� and said Britain and its allies 鈥渕ust stand up to and deter Russian activity which contravenes the international rules-based system.鈥�
Three months later, Russia invaded Ukraine.
Jill Lawless, The Associated Press
