There are growing concerns that China may be engaging in the theft of artificial intelligence technology, potentially with the intention of launching large-scale cyberattacks on the United States and other countries.
The FBI has expressed growing concern over the China's repeated high-profile data thefts targeting American corporations and government agencies.
China Steals AI Tech For Large-Scale Cyberattacks
A photo taken on November 23, 2023 shows the logo of the ChatGPT application developed by US artificial intelligence research organization OpenAI on a laptop screen (R) and the letters AI on a smartphone screen in Frankfurt am Main, western Germany. Sam Altman's shock return as chief executive of OpenAI late on November 22 -- days after being sacked -- caps a chaotic period that highlighted deep tensions at the heart of the Artificial Intelligence community. The board that fired Altman from his role as CEO of the ChatGPT creator has been almost entirely replaced following a rebellion by employees, cementing his position at the helm of the firm.
According to sources cited by the Wall Street Journal, China could potentially enhance the scope and efficiency of its data collection and analysis through the utilization of advanced AI technology.
In October, industry leaders convened with the FBI and other Western intelligence agencies to address their concerns regarding the escalating situation.
In a high-stakes battle for technological supremacy, the United States and China find themselves engaged in an intense arms race. This race, fueled by the rapid development of transformative technologies, has the potential to reshape not only their longstanding rivalry but also the very nature of warfare itself.
China has reportedly been engaging in corporate espionage, targeting firms involved in the development of artificial intelligence (AI) technology. In July 2018, Xiaolang Zhang, a former employee of Apple, was apprehended while attempting to board a flight to Beijing. Zhang was found to be in possession of stolen trade secrets related to self-driving vehicles.
Applied Materials has filed a lawsuit against its Chinese-owned competitor, Mattson Technology. The lawsuit alleges that a former engineer who defected from Applied Materials has unlawfully obtained and misappropriated trade secrets. The company focuses on manufacturing computer chips with exceptional processing capabilities, enabling them to effectively support and execute resource-intensive AI programs.
No charges have been filed in the case under scrutiny. Mattson, a key figure in the matter, has come forward to assert that there is no evidence to suggest that the company in question ever utilized any items purportedly pilfered from Applied in its product line.
The FBI has shown a heightened interest in thefts targeting firms such as Applied. The reasoning behind this focus lies in the fact that even if China were to acquire the latest AI programs through these thefts, their value would diminish rapidly within a matter of months.
China has been implicated in the cyberattacks targeting major organizations such as Marriott, Elevance Health, and Equifax. These breaches resulted in the theft of millions of guest records, compromising the security and privacy of individuals involved.
In 2015, the Office of Personnel Management experienced a significant security breach, resulting in the theft of 20 million personnel files belonging to government workers and their families. In 2021, a significant number of servers running Microsoft Exchange Server, which supports Outlook, were targeted in a cyberattack. Experts are concerned that the attackers may have utilized previously pilfered personal data to carry out this assault.
Analysts have disclosed that Beijing's military has successfully infiltrated over 20 prominent suppliers within the past year. These targets include a water utility located in Hawaii, a significant West Coast port, and at least one oil and gas pipeline.
Hackers managed to circumvent intricate cyber security systems by exploiting the negligence of junior employees who left passwords and log-ins unguarded. As a result, China now finds itself in possession of a significant cache of strategic vulnerabilities.
In August, attempts by hackers to breach the systems operated by the Public Utility Commission of Texas and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, responsible for supplying power to the state, were detected. A project has emerged that aligns with the escalating tensions surrounding Taiwan. This project has the potential to disrupt the United States' endeavors to safeguard its interests in the South China Sea.
Volt Typhoon targeted a wide range of organizations, including communications, manufacturing, utility, transportation, construction, maritime, government, information technology, and education sectors. The Director of National Intelligence issued a warning back in February, asserting that China possesses the capability to potentially launch cyberattacks that could cripple vital oil and gas pipelines as well as rail systems.
According to the annual assessment, it has been reported that if Beijing were to perceive an imminent major conflict with the United States, it would likely contemplate engaging in aggressive cyber operations against critical infrastructure within the US homeland as well as military assets across the globe.
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China's AI Usage
China has reportedly exhibited exceptional hacking skills, infiltrating numerous US companies and government databases. Such proficiency has led experts to suggest that China may have amassed an overwhelming amount of data, potentially surpassing its capacity to effectively process and derive utility from it.
AI technology, bolstered by its formidable legion of hackers, possesses the ability to meticulously sift through an astonishing number of records, numbering in the billions, effortlessly extracting invaluable information.
Intelligence operatives possess the ability to utilize data obtained from various sources in order to construct comprehensive dossiers on countless individuals. This astonishing capability allows them to amass a wealth of information on millions of specific people.
In a potential breach, sensitive data such as fingerprints, financial and health records, passport information, and personal contacts may have been compromised. China has the capability to utilize these advanced technologies for the purpose of identifying and tracking spies, closely monitoring the travel patterns of government officials, and determining individuals with valuable security clearances who may be susceptible to targeting.
According to Glenn Gerstell, a former general counsel at the National Security Agency, China has the capability to utilize artificial intelligence (AI) in order to compile a comprehensive profile on nearly every American. This dossier would encompass a wide range of personal information, including health records, credit card details, passport numbers, as well as the names and addresses of their parents and children. Gerstell shared these concerns with the Wall Street Journal.
The suggestion has been made to combine the existing dossiers with a substantial number of hackers, estimated to be in the hundreds of thousands, who are believed to be operating under the auspices of the Chinese government. This combination has raised concerns about the potential implications for national security.
In light of China's mounting threats, the significance of developing AI technology to combat them has grown exponentially. According to industry experts, there is a prevailing belief that artificial intelligence (AI) would excel in defensive capabilities rather than offensive ones. These experts anticipate that AI would possess the ability to effectively detect and counteract potential attacks originating from China and other sources, as per Mail Online.
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