Artificial intelligence (AI) will change the world of espionage, but it will not be able to replace agents, the head of the British intelligence agency MI6, Richard Moore, said today.
In Prague, Moore spoke about the growing threat to the West posed by Russia and China and explained that the "human factor" will remain crucial in an era in which machines that have the ability to learn independently are developing faster and faster.
"Artificial intelligence is going to make information much more accessible and some are wondering if that will put intelligence services like mine out of business," Moore said.
On the contrary, he explained, as AI frantically searches the sea of open information to complete a task, the knowledge of "perfectly swinging a well-crafted bait right into a secret place that an AI network can't hit" will become even more valuable.
"The unique characteristics of agents in the right place will become even more significant as spies are able to influence decisions within a government or terrorist group," Moore said.
Moore will speak at the residence of the British ambassador in Prague later today about Russian President Vladimir Putin and the war in Ukraine.
In a previously published speech prepared as an address in residence, the British intelligence chief wrote that he also accused Russia of "imperialism" in Africa. He also accused Iran of fueling further conflict in Ukraine by supplying Moscow with drones and other weapons and equipment.
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