In the face of growing AI cyber threats, do middle powers have agency?

(Isabella Wilkinson – Chatham House) Earlier this week, US president Donald Trump signed an executive order on AI and cyber defence. It asks AI developers to voluntarily allow US government agencies to test their models for 30 days before release. And during last month’s Trump-Xi summit in Beijing, the US and China said they would reopen intergovernmental dialogue on AI safety, paused since 2024. These major developments on safety come after the recent limited release of AI models with advanced cyber capabilities, especially Anthropic’s Claude Mythos Preview, which sparked global cybersecurity concerns. These cyber-AI models could strengthen cyber defence. The networks and systems digital societies depend on are filled with holes. Models such as Mythos might autonomously fill these holes much quicker than human teams could. But they also pose risks. In the wrong hands and with the right resources, powerful AI could be used to supercharge cyberattacks. Google recently reported that a criminal group used AI to find a flaw in their software. More cyber-criminal exploits are undoubtedly coming. – In the face of growing AI cyber threats, do middle powers have agency? | Chatham House – International Affairs Think Tank