AI's Role in Shaping National Security Future

To safeguard our national security, the U.S. needs to dominate the digital frontier. We're pushing hard to be at the forefront of cutting-edge technologies like AI and quantum computing. Yet, almost daily, we hear about cyber threats worming their way into our telecom networks, energy grids, and water facilities, aiming to disrupt our infrastructure and spy on us.

It's clear that the battleground for today's global conflicts is increasingly digital. So, it's no wonder folks are wondering, "Will bad actors use AI to up their game?"

Our latest report sheds some light on this. While generative AI can indeed ramp up and intensify attacks, the good news is that these bad actors haven't managed to use AI to come up with entirely new tricks yet. In other words, the good guys are still in the lead—for now.

To keep our edge, especially with new, powerful AI models coming into play, it's crucial for American industry and government to team up and protect our national and economic security.

Three Key National Security Moves for the AI Age:

1. **Leading the Charge in AI Chips and Infrastructure:** The U.S. is currently ahead in the global AI game, thanks to our companies pouring billions into R&D every year. To keep this going strong, we need the government to step up with smart trade and export policies. These policies should help our firms outpace China and its state-backed companies in building the data centers and platforms that the world relies on.

2. **Government Taking the Lead in Tech Buying and Use:** AI can seriously boost efficiency, cut costs, and ramp up security. But to really take advantage, the U.S. government, including our military and intelligence folks, needs to overhaul its old-school procurement systems. This would let us roll out top-notch digital services on a large scale. The new Department of Government Efficiency could lead the charge in modernizing things and cutting ties with outdated, insecure vendors.

3. **Ramping Up Public-Private Cyber Defense Collaboration:** Recent cyberattacks like Salt Typhoon and Volt Typhoon show we need to beef up teamwork between industry and government to strengthen our cyber defenses and tackle threats head-on. We've got to build on what we're already doing, making it easier for agencies and private companies to work together quickly to stop threats and handle incidents. AI offers huge potential for cyber defense, but we need to move fast to set up and share best practices through groups like the Coalition for Secure AI and the Frontier Model Forum. Plus, we should use AI to simulate attacks, find weaknesses in popular software, and build safer models—all while sharing what we learn to tackle AI security challenges.

As I've mentioned before, America's leading the AI race, but we can't rest on our laurels. By working together, we can boost our AI advantage, enhance our national security, and grab the opportunities that lie ahead.