MI5 Director General Ken McCallum warned about the security implications of increasingly autonomous AI systems, including their potential use by hostile states and non-state actors.
Verified: 1 March 2026 · Last updated: 1 March 2026 · Region: uk
MI5 Director General Ken McCallum has publicly acknowledged that AI represents a significant evolving threat to UK national security. His warnings encompass:
- AI-enabled cyber attacks becoming more sophisticated
- The use of AI by hostile states for espionage and influence operations
- The challenge of keeping pace with AI capabilities that advance faster than security measures
- The risk of increasingly autonomous systems operating beyond meaningful human control
When the UK’s own intelligence services are warning about AI risks, the absence of binding safety legislation becomes even more striking.
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MI5national securityautonomous AIUK