China intelligence chief flags six AI security threats

China's state security minister, Chen Yixin, has raised six significant AI-related security concerns. These include political manipulation, cyberattacks, data leakage, social disruption, military transformation, and technology concentration. Chen, the head of the Ministry of State Security, published his warnings in a recent article in China Cyberspace magazine, stressing the need for enhanced monitoring, regulation, and response mechanisms to counter AI-related threats.

Chen highlighted the potential for deepfakes, AI-generated content, and automated online networks to spread false information, harm social cohesion, and destabilize China's political, institutional, and ideological security. Furthermore, he warned of the heightened capabilities of cyber warfare, which could benefit from advanced AI tools, making attacks more efficient, cost-effective, and automated. This, in turn, poses a risk to China's critical information infrastructure.

In addition, Chen pointed out the danger of data leakage, arising from users' insufficient security awareness when using overseas AI products or sending data abroad. Beijing has tightened regulations on cross-border data flows, encouraging domestic development of AI models and computing infrastructure. Chen also cautioned about technology concentration – accusing unnamed countries of employing export controls, technical restrictions, and closed ecosystems to preserve their advantages in advanced computing and AI.

Chen's concerns extend to the impact of AI on social governance and military competition. AI is increasingly being used for intelligence fusion, decision support, target identification, operational assistance, and information operations, making it a central component of military competition. To address these risks, Chen advocated for an AI security regulatory platform, stronger risk monitoring and early-warning systems, regular security guidance, and increased investment in basic AI research, computing chips, frameworks, and application software, as well as national data infrastructure.

Chen also stressed the importance of legal safeguards, public education, and international cooperation, urging faster development of national and local data pools and computing networks to support secure domestic AI growth. This cautionary stance reflects China's evolving perspective on AI, recognizing the technology as a strategic driver of economic growth while emphasizing the need for safety, reliability, and control.