The United States National Security Agency (NSA) has announced the creation of an artificial intelligence security centre that will oversee the development and integration of AI capabilities within U.S defence and intelligence services.

Director of the NSA and U.S Cyber Command, General Paul Nakasone, noted that the opening of the new centre was part of steps to “shape the future” of AI technology in the security, defence and intelligence sectors.

Nakasone disclosed that the AI centre will be incorporated into the NSA’s current Cybersecurity Collaboration Center, where it will become the focal point for “promoting the secure adoption of new AI capabilities across the national security enterprise and the defence industry base.”

The AI security centre will consolidate the NSA’s various artificial intelligence, security-related activities.

“The AI Security Center will work closely with U.S. Industry, national labs, academia across the [intelligence community] and Department of Defense and select foreign partners,” Nakasone said.

Nakasone stated that U.S officials were aware of the increasing essence of AI in the national security landscape.

The NSA Head also said that it was pertinent that the U.S maintains its leadership in AI development as the technology matures and that malicious foreign actors be prevented from obtaining U.S innovations in AI.

“AI will be increasingly consequential for national security in diplomatic, technological and economic matters for our country and our allies and partners,” Nakasone said.

“Today, the U.S. leads in this critical area, but this lead should not be taken for granted.

“Our adversaries, who have for decades used theft and exploitation of our intellectual property to advance their interests will seek to co-opt our advances in AI and corrupt our application of it.”
General Paul Nakasone

Moreover, Nakasone stressed that it is imperative that the NSA sets a clear path forward to address “both the opportunities and challenges of AI as industry rockets forward with innovation.”

“AI security is about protecting AI systems from learning, doing and revealing the wrong thing,” he said.

“We must build a robust understanding of AI vulnerabilities foreign intelligence threats to these AI systems and ways to encounter the threat in order to have AI security. We must also ensure that malicious foreign actors can’t steal America’s innovative AI capabilities to do so.”
General Paul Nakasone

The establishment of an AI security centre follows an NSA study that identified securing AI models from theft and sabotage as a key national security challenge for the U.S, especially as generative AI technologies emerge with immense transformative potential for both good and bad actors.

Final Decisions Made By Humans

When asked about the U.S using AI to automate the analysis of threats, Nakasone said that US intelligence and defence agencies already use AI though final decisions are still made by humans.

“AI helps us, but our decisions are made by humans. And that’s an important distinction,” he said.

“We do see assistance from artificial intelligence. But at the end of the day, decisions will be made by humans and humans in the loop,” he iterated.

Nakasone said the U.S security agency had not “yet” detected attempts by either Russia or China to influence the 2024 US presidential elections.

He said that number of elections will take place in other parts of the world before the U.S presidential vote and the U.S will work with partners and allies to help deter any such manipulation efforts.

Cybersecurity researchers also say that China has in recent months stepped up cyber operations focused on U.S and allied institutions that may include pre-positioning malware designed to disrupt military communications.