House Intelligence Committee Warns AI Enables Deadlier Terror Attacks

The House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence issued a report warning that artificial intelligence could enable terrorists and adversaries to develop more dangerous weapons and plot deadlier attacks. The committee characterized these potential Black Swan risks as creating a threat environment as complex and dangerous as any since the September 11, 2001, terror attacks.

Lawmakers cautioned that existing safeguards in AI labs may be insufficient to prevent the creation of bioweapons because model capabilities are developing so rapidly. The report argues that frontier large language models could make it significantly easier for rogue actors to conduct destructive attacks.

To counter these threats, the committee urged the U.S. intelligence community to accelerate its responsible adoption of advanced AI to maintain a competitive edge over adversaries. The report recommends investing in secure tools for collection and analysis, provided they are paired with human oversight and privacy protections.