China's spy chief flags AI threat, warns of 'cognitive warfare' & threats to national security

China’s ministry of state security has issued its first public warning on the national security risks posed by artificial intelligence, accusing hostile forces of using generative AI to spread political rumours, manipulate public opinion and threaten the country’s critical infrastructure.Minister of state security Chen Yixin said foreign actors were exploiting emerging AI tools to conduct what he described as public opinion and cognitive warfare against China.“Hostile forces and people with ulterior motives are abusing generative AI technologies such as deepfake audio and video, AI-generated text and images, and ‘intelligent troll armies’ to cheaply and on a mass scale fabricate political rumours, disseminate harmful information and incite divisive sentiments,” Chen wrote in an article published online on Sunday.“These activities constitute an attack on public opinion wars and cognitive warfare against China, directly threatening our political security, institutional security and ideological security,” he added.The MISS said AI could also create vulnerabilities for China’s cyber defences, sensitive data and military systems. Chen described the technology as “the main battleground for global technological competition and a new track for major power strategic rivalry”.He specifically cited the hacking capabilities of Anthropic’s Claude Mythos and OpenAI’s ChatGPT-5.5-Cyber, warning that such systems could “pose serious risks to China's critical information infrastructure”.Chen also accused foreign intelligence agencies of using AI-enabled tools to gather sensitive information.“Foreign intelligence agencies are deeply using technologies such as intelligent web crawlers, intelligent data mining, and intelligent profiling analysis to extensively collect and acquire sensitive information such as key national data, trade secrets, and citizens' personal privacy,” he said.The warning comes as Beijing and Washington prepare for discussions on AI governance. US president Donald Trump and Chinese president Xi Jinping are expected to discuss the issue at a meeting planned for September 24.The statement also follows growing concern among US technology executives over the pace of AI development. Anthropic chief executive Dario Amodei has called for the industry to “slow the pace at which we improve the capabilities of AI models”, with OpenAI chief Sam Altman and Elon Musk backing the proposal. In a lengthy essay published on Saturday, he warned that a “Chinese lead in AI would pose grave danger for the United States and the world.”China’s foreign ministry rejected calls for confrontation over AI. Spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Monday, “Fearmongering, confrontation and vicious competition will only disrupt the process of global AI governance which serves no one's interest.”Chen, meanwhile, said China must “ensure independent control of key core technologies”, including advanced computer chips needed to train AI models.Catch the latest World News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.