From the standpoint of the holistic national security concept, are you aware of the various security risks posed by artificial intelligence? In recent years, AI models developed by Chinese companies have secured significant positions on the global stage, driving advances in AI technology worldwide.

The Chinese AI firm's large language model, DeepSeek, burst onto the scene and stunned Silicon Valley, even triggering a sharp sell-off in Wall Street tech stocks. However, it soon suffered a series of large-scale malicious cyberattacks that caused repeated system crashes. According to Qi An Xin security experts, the attacking IP addresses were traced to the United States, though the identities of the perpetrators remain unknown.

Potential Impact on Hong Kong's Critical Infrastructure

Imagine if criminals launched large-scale cyberattacks against Hong Kong's critical facilities—could society continue to function normally, and could residents carry on with their daily lives? Critical infrastructure underpins social and economic lifelines, including financial institutions, telecommunications networks, power grids, rail systems and healthcare networks etc. If these systems were disrupted or data were leaked, operations would be compromised, potentially bringing society to a standstill.

To address these threats, the Hong Kong SAR government is committed to enhancing regulations that safeguard the security of critical infrastructure computer systems. Proposed legislation would impose statutory obligations on relevant operators, ensuring they implement appropriate measures to defend their systems against cyberattacks.

The Broader Stakes: AI's Far-Reaching Influence and Risks

Scholars note that AI's current "intelligence quotient" rivals human levels, leading a new wave of technological revolution with profound impacts on economic development, social progress, and the international order. AI faces multiple layers of risk, including endogenous security risks, application-level security risks and cross-security challenges arising from interaction with other emerging technologies.

These risks pose challenges across domains covered by the holistic national security concept—political, territorial, military, economic, cultural, social, technological, and cyber security. Therefore, as AI develops, it is imperative to inject more “security genes” into its design.

Building a Secure Future through Regulation and Cooperation

It is essential to refine legal frameworks, establish robust supervisory systems, and crack down firmly on criminal activities. All sectors of society must work together to build a comprehensive barrier safeguarding national security, cyber security, and infrastructure security.