DNI Jay Clayton says AI espionage is a reality US companies must be wary of
The director of national intelligence told CNBC that AI amplifies cybersecurity risks and that a new White House task force is focused on hardening critical systems.
At a glance
- DNI Jay Clayton said US companies and the government must be wary of foreign commercial and state-sponsored AI espionage.
- Clayton pointed to the case of a Saudi national accused of placing a recording device in an OpenAI executive's conference room.
- A new White House AI task force held its first meeting and created three subcommittees on AI-related issues.
Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton told CNBC on Friday that U.S. companies and the Trump administration both "need to be wary" of foreign espionage as the race for dominance in artificial intelligence continues.
Speaking on "Squawk Box," Clayton said AI "amplifies" existing cybersecurity risks to U.S. digital infrastructure, which is interconnected with critical systems tied to everything from public goods to national defense and global communications. That is why the government is focused on hardening those systems and on staying ahead of "nefarious actors," said Clayton, who leads a new White House AI task force.
OpenAI case cited
Clayton was asked how concerned Americans should be about foreign spying after the recently revealed case against Saudi national Abdulrahman Alfozan, who is accused of installing a recording device in a conference room used by an OpenAI executive. Alfozan, a former OpenAI employee, has not been charged with espionage; the federal charge involves alleged interception of oral communications. Prosecutors said he had booked a one-way ticket to Saudi Arabia for himself, his wife and another family member before his arrest.
Asked about the case, Clayton said espionage — both commercial and state-sponsored — is a reality. Private-sector companies and the government alike need to be wary, he said, adding that the OpenAI incident shows how far people will go to try to supplant U.S. leadership in the emerging technology, or at least keep pace with it.
An ex-CIA official, speaking on condition of anonymity to CNBC this week to discuss non-public information, described the case as "probably the tip of the iceberg."
Task force meets
Clayton, appointed as AI czar earlier this month, said the task force's inaugural meeting at the White House on Thursday was "very good" and built on an agreement signed by President Donald Trump and several AI leaders at the White House last month. Trump has described that agreement, which includes industry pledges to police AI risks themselves, as "morally binding."
The task force established three subcommittees, Clayton said: one focused on reporting and response, one on assessing critical infrastructure and working with the private sector, and one on law enforcement and responsibility.
Clayton repeated that the administration intends to stay ahead in the AI race, noting that the United States is not the only country developing the technology. He named China, Russia, Iran and North Korea as adversaries and competitors that all have significant technical capability.
Source: CNBC.
Questions and answers
- What did Jay Clayton say about AI espionage?
- The director of national intelligence told CNBC that both commercial and state-sponsored espionage are realities, and that private companies and the government need to be wary as AI amplifies cybersecurity risks.
- What is the OpenAI recording device case?
- Saudi national Abdulrahman Alfozan, a former OpenAI employee, is accused of installing a recording device in an executive conference room. He has not been charged with espionage; the federal charge involves alleged interception of oral communications.
- What is the White House AI task force doing?
- Led by AI czar Jay Clayton, it held its first meeting and set up three subcommittees covering reporting and response, critical infrastructure and the private sector, and law enforcement and responsibility.
