Google, OpenAI, Microsoft And Other AI Giants Face Growing Cyber Threats From China, Warns FBI Director

The leaders of U.S. security agencies have sounded the alarm regarding the escalating threats faced by American artificial intelligence (AI) firms.

What Happened: In a CNBC CEO Council virtual roundtable on Tuesday, FBI Director Christopher Wray and U.S. Cyber Command General Paul Nakasone have warned that both China and cybercriminals are aggressively targeting these companies.

The U.S. AI industry, led by tech giants like Alphabet Inc’s Google GOOGL GOOG, Microsoft Corp MSFT, and OpenAI, is facing severe threats of cyberattacks.

“Eighteen of the 20 most successful AI companies in the world are American,” and these industry leaders are being targeted for their innovation and intellectual property, Wray said.

"You can bet your bottom dollar that foreign adversaries, especially the Chinese, are actively targeting that innovation, that intellectual property."

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Wray and Nakasone stressed the urgency of safeguarding American AI research and development. They pointed out that U.S. adversaries are leveraging AI capabilities developed by American companies, making the protection of this intellectual property a matter of national security.

The FBI and the U.S. Cyber Command are collaborating on operations against various adversaries, including nation-states like China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea, as well as criminal groups and other foreign actors. They believe that AI will play a crucial role in these defenses.

“That kind of partnership will beat what the Chinese bring to the table every day of the week,” Wray affirmed.

Why It Matters: In 2023, the National Security Agency set up the AI Security Center to oversee the development and integration of AI capabilities within U.S. national security systems. Both Wray and Nakasone emphasized the need for partnerships between government agencies, the public and private sectors, and global allies to create a robust defense against these threats.

Meanwhile, Wray has consistently highlighted threats to national security from U.S. adversaries. Last year in July, he warned that "communist cells" are influencing companies in China, posing a significant risk to U.S. firms operating in the country.

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