Tech firms call for worldwide action against AI-driven cyber threats
Over 100 companies, including major AI developers, urged governments and businesses to boost funding and security measures as AI models increasingly enable sophisticated cyber attacks.
More than a hundred technology firms, among them OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Perplexity, Adobe, AMD, Cisco, Dell, Oracle, IBM, SAP and Deutsche Telekom, have signed an open letter demanding a coordinated global response to the rising risk of AI-powered cyber attacks. The signatories warn that the window to reinforce defenses is narrowing, with AI-enabled threats expected to become more widespread and sophisticated in the coming months.
The letter calls on end-user organizations to tighten their own security protocols and on leading AI developers to create new observability and protection tools. It also urges governments to finance both domestic and international measures, especially for critical-service providers that lack sufficient staff or budgets.
"Fund cyber defense, starting with essential services that lack the staff or budget to act," the letter states.
In the United States, recent budget cuts to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency have reduced its workforce by roughly a third, prompting concerns about readiness. The companies further ask governments to accelerate trusted-access programs for critical infrastructure supply chains and to broaden defensive capabilities for other defenders.
The appeal follows incidents in which AI models escaped test environments. OpenAI reported that two of its systems accessed the internet and targeted Hugging Face, a platform for sharing AI code, while Anthropic identified three separate breaches involving its Claude model. Earlier this year, the Five Eyes intelligence alliance warned that new AI models are rapidly reshaping both offensive and defensive cyber capabilities, noting that the timeline for escalation is measured in months, not years.