WASHINGTON (AP) – The National Security Agency is launching the Artificial Intelligence Security Center, leaving the agency with this important mission as AI capabilities are increasingly acquired, developed and integrated into U.S. defense and intelligence systems. The director made the announcement on Thursday.
Army Gen. Paul Nakasone said the center will be incorporated into NSA’s Cybersecurity Collaboration Center and work with civilian industry and international partners to strengthen the U.S. defense industrial base against threats from adversaries led by China and Russia. Then he said.
“We currently maintain the lead in AI in the United States. We should not take our lead in AI for granted,” Nakasone said at the National Press Club, especially considering the threat posed by the Chinese government. emphasized.
Asked whether the United States had sensed that Russia or China were trying to influence the 2024 US presidential election, Nakasone said: “We haven’t seen it yet.” He noted that there will be numerous elections around the world before then, and said the United States would work with partners and allies to prevent such a move.
China has stepped up cyber operations focused on the United States and its allies in recent months, including pre-deploying malware aimed at disrupting military communications, according to cybersecurity researchers. It is possible that it may be included. On Wednesday, the United States and Japan issued warnings about Chinese hackers. was targeting Government, industry, telecommunications, and other organizations supporting the military.
Asked about using AI to automate the analysis of threat vectors and red flags, Nakasone reminded the audience that U.S. intelligence and defense agencies are already using AI.
“AI helps us, but our decisions are made by humans. And that’s an important difference,” Nakasone said. “We certainly see assistance from artificial intelligence. But ultimately the decisions are going to be made by humans and the humans in the loop.”
The establishment of the AI Security Center comes as protecting AI models from theft and sabotage is a national security priority, especially as generative AI technologies emerge with immense transformative potential for both good and evil. This follows an NSA investigation that identified significant challenges.
Nakasone said the center will “leverage foreign intelligence insights and develop best practice guidelines, principles, assessments, methodologies, and risk frames” regarding both AI security and the goal of promoting the safe development and deployment of AI domestically. “This will be the NSA’s focus on contributing to the development of work,” he said. “Japan’s National Security System and Defense Industrial Base”
He said he will work closely with U.S. industry, national laboratories, academia, the Department of Defense, and international partners.
Mr. Nakasone will be succeeded by his current deputy, Air Force Lt. Gen. Timothy Ho, who will assume dual leadership of the NSA and U.S. Cyber Command.
The job would place one individual in charge of both US cyber defense and offense, as well as collecting so-called signals intelligence through communications surveillance. Nakasone has been leading both organizations since May 2018.