Japan's Cyber Defense: AI to Counter Advanced Threats

Japan is considering using cutting-edge artificial intelligence for its preemptive cyber defense. This comes amid concerns about advanced AI models, like Anthropic's Claude Mythos, being used for cyberattacks. National Cyber Director Yoichi Iida states it's "inevitable" for Japan to use sophisticated AI technology. He notes the time between discovering and exploiting vulnerabilities could drastically shorten. The Claude Mythos model is highly capable of finding security weaknesses. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's Cabinet decided in March to enable "active cyber defense" from October 1st. This aims to eliminate serious cyberattack possibilities that could disrupt critical infrastructure. Iida also emphasizes Japan should not rely on a single AI model, citing how U.S. export controls suspended access to Mythos-class models for government systems. The bottom line is that advanced AI could make cyberattacks far more sophisticated, increasing their intensity.