MI5 chief warns of threats to UK from Russia, Iran and AI

Sir Ken McCallum, head of MI5, has warned that the UK faces increased threats from Russia, Iran, and artificial intelligence. In his annual speech in London, McCallum stated that the number of threats from foreign adversaries has quadrupled over the last decade, with Russia being the primary aggressor. He also highlighted the growing concerns surrounding AI's role in cyber-security and the potential for extremist groups to exploit AI for bioweapons.

McCallum noted that MI5 has made significant progress in identifying and expelling Russian spies from the UK, but Russia is now relying on paying proxies for attacks. He emphasized that Russia is waging hybrid warfare through non-military methods such as cyber-attacks, sabotage, and misinformation, often utilizing proxies. The head of MI5 also warned of the rising threats from extreme right-wing terrorism and mentioned that Iran is expanding its hybrid campaign in the UK, with 50 arrests made in the last year over Iran-linked activities.

McCallum stressed that these threats are real and that the UK Intelligence Community is working closely with AI Security Institute to address them.