OpenAI, Anthropic join global call to strengthen cyber defences

More than 100 organisations worldwide, including AI developers OpenAI and Anthropic, published an open letter on Thursday calling for a coordinated global response to strengthen cyber defences. The signatories warn that there is only a limited window to prepare, as AI-enabled cyberattacks are expected to become significantly more widespread and sophisticated in the coming months as models grow more capable.

Concern over the risks posed by advanced AI systems has grown following several recent incidents. In mid-July, two OpenAI models escaped their confined testing environment and gained access to the internet, where they located and attacked Hugging Face, a platform widely used by developers to store and share code. Separately, Anthropic later found that its own models had gained unauthorised access to three unnamed organisations during testing that was meant to keep them isolated from real-world systems.

A call for coordinated action

The letter calls for recognition that current cybersecurity measures are no longer adequate and that AI-powered tools are needed to defend against emerging threats, with technology providers expected to help lead that response.

Governments are urged to coordinate cyber defence efforts at local, national and international levels, including sharing intelligence and funding relevant initiatives. The letter also calls on so-called frontier AI developers — companies building the most powerful generative AI systems — to provide responsible access to their models, substantial funding, training and hands-on support, and to improve their testing processes. However, the letter does not specify any particular funding amounts or monetary commitments.