The U.K. announced plans to build a new laboratory for artificial intelligence (AI) security research as part of its aim to compete with Russia in the “new AI arms race.”
The announcement was made on Monday at the NATO Cyber Defence Conference at Lancaster House in London, the second conference of its kind.
Warning that NATO needed to stay ahead in the “AI arms race,” government minister Pat McFadden, whose brief includes national security matters, said that the Laboratory for AI Security Research (LASR) would protect the U.K. and its allies from new cyber threats.
The lab will bring together world-class industry, academic and government experts to assess the impact of AI on national security, and to develop artificial intelligence capable of providing cyber defense against threats.
The research will receive £8 million (equivalent to around $10 million) of initial government funding, and the project then hopes for future investment and collaboration from those within the industry.
Alongside the new laboratory, a new incident response project costing £1 million ($1.25 million) is being introduced as well, to help allies respond to cyber incidents more effectively.
McFadden added, “Cyber war is now a daily reality. One where our defenses are constantly being tested. The extent of the threat must be matched by the strength of our resolve to combat it and to protect our citizens and systems.”
He warned that as AI technology is being developed, “there’s a danger it could be weaponized against us.”
McFadden pointed directly to Russia when sounding the alarm about the potential threats of artificial intelligence.
He said, “Be in no doubt: the United Kingdom and others in this room are watching Russia. We know exactly what they are doing, and we are countering their attacks both publicly and behind the scenes.”
Russia has previously been accused of cyber attacks on NATO and the European Union by different Western intelligence agencies, the BBC reported.
The Russian specialist training center, specifically Unit 29155, has been linked to high-profile espionage and sabotage cases in recent years prompting intelligence agencies across the Netherlands, Czech Republic, Germany, Estonia, Latvia, Canada and Australia to sign a declaration warning of Russia’s threat.
The declaration states that affiliates of the unit “are responsible for computer network operations against global targets for the purposes of espionage, sabotage, and reputational harm since at least 2020.”
Newsweek has contacted the Russian Foreign Ministry and McFadden via email for comment.
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