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UK spy chief warns of AI danger, though not disaster-movie doom
Published by Global Banking and Finance Review
Posted on October 16, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 21, 2026
Global Banking and Finance Review
Company
Published by Global Banking and Finance Review
Posted on October 16, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 21, 2026
MI5 chief warns of AI security risks, emphasizing vigilance as AI evolves, without predicting sci-fi disaster scenarios.
LONDON (Reuters) -AI systems acting without human control could one day pose a security threat, the head of Britain's MI5 spy agency said on Thursday, although he said he was not predicting doom scenarios as depicted in sci-fi movies.
Tech leaders have warned about the dangers of unchecked AI, and that people should be concerned about a "Terminator" future, as seen in the film series about an artificial intelligence system that becomes self-aware and tries to wipe out humanity.
In his annual speech on threats to Britain, MI5 chief Ken McCallum said AI was used by the British security services to make their work more effective, while terrorists employed it for propaganda and target reconnaissance, and state actors to manipulate elections and sharpen cyberattacks.
"But in 2025, while contending with today’s threats, we also need to scope out the next frontier: potential future risks from non-human, autonomous AI systems which may evade human oversight and control," he said.
"Given the risk of hype and scare-mongering, I will choose my words carefully. I am not forecasting Hollywood movie scenarios ... But, as AI capabilities continue to power ahead, you would expect organisations like MI5 ... to be thinking deeply, today, about what 'Defending the Realm' might need to look like in the years ahead," he said.
"Artificial intelligence may never ‘mean’ us harm," McCallum said. "But it would be reckless to ignore the potential for it to cause harm. We’re on the case."
(Reporting by Michael HoldenEditing by Peter Graff)
Artificial Intelligence (AI) refers to the simulation of human intelligence in machines programmed to think and learn. AI systems can perform tasks that typically require human intelligence, such as visual perception, speech recognition, and decision-making.
Cybersecurity threats are malicious attacks aimed at stealing, damaging, or disrupting computer systems, networks, or data. These threats can take various forms, including malware, phishing, and ransomware.
A security threat is any potential danger that could exploit a vulnerability in a system, leading to unauthorized access, data breaches, or damage to information assets.
Target reconnaissance involves gathering information about a specific target to assess its vulnerabilities and strengths. In the context of AI, it can be used by malicious actors to plan attacks.
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