OpenAI issues call for 'collective action' on cyber defense: 'We have a limited window'

OpenAI has issued a call for urgent collective action on cybersecurity, warning that AI-enabled cyber attacks will become more prevalent in the near future. More than 100 organizations, including tech giants Anthropic, Microsoft, Google, Amazon Web Services, Oracle, Cisco, IBM, and CrowdStrike, have joined OpenAI in an open letter urging companies and governments to bolster cybersecurity defenses.

The letter highlights the risks posed to critical infrastructure and services, such as hospitals, water treatment plants, and the internet's backbone. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman emphasized the gravity of the situation, noting it as the first security incident that deeply affected him personally. The open letter urges governments to increase funding for cyber defense, encourages cybersecurity companies to share threat intelligence and tested playbooks, and calls on AI labs to share tools, playbooks, and credible threat assessments with those in need.

The recommendations also involve placing AI-capable AI systems in the hands of defenders to protect essential services.