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Frontier AI: what you need to know

Organisations need to be ready to counter the enhanced capabilities of AI-powered attacks.

What is frontier AI and why it matters for cyber security

Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer a distant or speculative issue for cyber security.

The most advanced tools, often referred to as frontier AI, already make it easier, faster and cheaper for attackers to discover and exploit weaknesses. This means that tasks which once required specialist skills – such as writing exploit code, understanding system architecture or using attack tools – can increasingly be automated using AI. This lowers the barrier to entry for sophisticated cyber attacks and allows attackers to operate at greater speed and scale.

For organisations, this means that weaknesses in basic cyber security practices are more likely to be discovered and exploited. 

Responding to this means 2 things: 

  1. Fully adopting and embedding cyber security fundamentals across the organisation.
  2. Recognising cyber security is a core leadership responsibility that requires sustained attention and investment. 
    The NCSC's Cyber Governance for Boards provides resources to support business leaders.

Organisations that act now to improve their cyber security fundamentals will be in a much better position to meet the challenges AI can bring.

The emerging role of agentic AI

Agentic AI is a new class of frontier AI which is beginning to appear in organisations.

Agentic AI tools don’t just generate content or predictions; they can plan tasks, make decisions and take actions on a user’s behalf.

Agentic AI is likely to offer significant benefits to organisations in many scenarios, particularly where tasks are repetitive, well-understood and low risk. This is what makes them useful, but also means they can introduce new security risks if they are poorly governed or misused.

As agentic AI tools become more widely deployed, organisations will need clear oversight of how they are used and what access they have to systems and data.

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AI can strengthen cyber defence

AI is not only benefiting attackers, but can also significantly improve and accelerate cyber defence.

Technology providers are increasingly using AI to identify and fix vulnerabilities in their products and services throughout their lifecycles, keeping customers and users safe from new threats. Organisations that adopt AI securely, while maintaining strong cyber security fundamentals, will be better placed to take advantage of these defensive capabilities. In doing so, organisations will be demonstrating to customers, prospects and suppliers that cyber security is taken seriously at the highest level, and that they’re ready to face future challenges with confidence. 

What this means for board members and senior leaders

Frontier AI tools lower the barrier to entry for sophisticated attacks, and are already being used to identify vulnerabilities at scale.

Put simply, AI is making it easier and faster for criminals to attack those organisations that do not have basic cyber security protections in place.

AI does not change the fundamentals of cyber security, but it raises the stakes when those fundamentals are missing.

Key takeaway

The NCSC believes that AI will change the game for both offensive and defensive cyber security capabilities.

Maintaining strong cyber security fundamentals remains the most effective way to protect your organisation from digital threats, whether those are AI-assisted or not.

Organisations that act now by managing cyber security as a leadership priority, and adopting AI carefully and securely, will be best placed to benefit from the opportunities AI offers while remaining resilient to evolving threats.

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Want to know more about artificial intelligence?

The NCSC publishes accessible content to help you make sense of the fast-moving world of AI.

Artificial intelligence: a deeper look

The following resources have been created by the NCSC for security professionals and the wider technical community. 

International collaboration

The NCSC has worked with a number of world-class institutions committed to advancing secure AI development. A selection of key publications is provided below.