The National Cyber Security Centre has published an excellent and timely blog, “Why cyber defenders need to be ready for frontier AI,” and it is well worth a read. It speaks directly to a conversation we at the AICSA have been passionate about since the day we launched.
The findings are remarkable. In just 18 months, the best performing frontier AI models have gone from barely making progress on realistic simulated cyber attacks to completing over half of a complex enterprise network scenario, at a cost of roughly £65 per attempt. The takeaway is clear: AI is already reshaping cyber operations, and the pace of change is accelerating far faster than many expected.
This is precisely why the AICSA was founded.
We established the world’s first global trade association focused on the convergence of AI and cyber security because we could see that this intersection would become one of the most important areas in technology. It is no longer a niche concern or something to plan for down the line. It is a present reality, and it calls for coordinated action, thoughtful policy, and genuine collaboration across sectors.
The NCSC rightly highlights the structural advantage that defenders hold: the ability to shape the environment, correlate signals at scale, and use AI to stay ahead of attackers. But the blog also offers an honest reminder that this advantage is far from guaranteed. Where attackers adopt AI more effectively than defenders, or where baseline security remains weak, that advantage can erode quickly.
This is where the AICSA’s mission comes into its own. We are committed to advocating for clear, evidence based policy at the intersection of AI and cyber security, working alongside governments, regulators, industry leaders, and academia to ensure that:
- Defenders are equipped and empowered to harness frontier AI capabilities responsibly.
- Policy frameworks keep pace with the rapid evolution of AI enabled threats.
- Collaboration across borders and sectors is prioritised, not siloed.
- The security of AI systems themselves is treated as a first order concern, not an afterthought.
The NCSC’s call for strong security baselines, comprehensive logging, and carefully deployed AI enhanced defence aligns closely with the principles we champion across our membership and advisory work. We welcome this contribution wholeheartedly.
The convergence of AI and cyber security is here, and none of us can tackle it alone. We would warmly welcome the opportunity to work alongside the NCSC, combining our collective expertise, networks, and shared commitment to making the digital world safer. If you are part of the NCSC team and reading this, we would love to start that conversation.
Please do get in touch with us at the AICSA via hello@aisec.org.uk. Together, we can achieve far more than any of us can apart.
Lisa Ventura MBE FCIIS, Chief Executive and Founder, AI and Cyber Security Association (AICSA)
