AI, Deepfakes and the Other Tech Threats That Vex Intel Leaders

Technological threats from Russia, China and other bad actors dominated exchanges Tuesday between senators and top intelligence officials at a hearing on worldwide threats.

Emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, cloud computing, machine learning, deepfakes and biosciences will “change our way of life, but adversaries are investing and are likely to make use of these things, too,” said Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats, testifying before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.

“The speed and adaptation of new technologies will continue to drive the world in ways we can’t understand,” Coats added. “It becomes a major challenge to the intelligence community to stay ahead of the game and have resources directed toward how we need to address these threats.” Coats testified alongside FBI Director Christopher Wray, CIA Director Gina Haspel, Defense Intelligence Agency Director Robert Ashley, National Security Agency Director Paul Nakasone and National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency Director Robert Cardillo.