11 hours ago
Terrorists could remotely hijack AI cars to carry out mass attack, UN warns
Terrorists could remotely hijack AI-driven cars to carry out mass attacks in crowded spaces using fleets of 'slaughterbots'.
A new United Nations (UN) report has warned the technology could be weaponised by extremists in allowing malicious actors to seize control of self-driving vehicles.
It comes amid concerns terrorist groups could use facial recognition software to target individuals or conduct 'swarm' attacks with unmanned aerial vehicles - to overwhelm defences.
The report, titled Algorithms and Terrorism: The Malicious Use of Artificial Intelligence for Terrorist Purposes, warns AI 's increasing role in transport, infrastructure, and surveillance could be hacked to sow chaos.
The UN is now calling for urgent international action to place limits on the technology before it is too late.
William Allchorn, a senior research fellow at the International Policing and Public Protection Research Institute, said Britain's security services and police should ensure they are prepared in the event of an AI-directed attack.
In 2023 the government's counter-terrorism strategy, Contest, was updated to reflect the threat posed by AI.
Guidance now states terrorists could exploit the technology to create and amplify radicalising content, propaganda, and instructional materials, as well as to plan and carry out attacks themselves.
Critics warn the rapid proliferation of end-to-end encryption and availability of anonymisation tools also allow terrorists to communicate without detection.
However, the document also points to advantages AI offers for counter-terrorism.
Officials have said the technology enables intelligence agencies to operate in ways 'not conceivable' only a few years prior - by using a wider range of data at speed, and quickly translating and decoding extremist communications, for example.
Technologies such as autonomous driving, nanotech screens and augmented reality are poised to reshape the cars we drive, experts have previously stated.
They predict people won't approach cars armed with keys and rely on the satnav — cars will come to them, plugged into their daily routines and poised to entertain.
