JAKARTA - The new head of the British Secret Intelligence Service (SIS) assesses the foreign intelligence agency known as MI6 to master artificial intelligence technology and power, to combat the growing threats facing Britain.
Blaise Metreweli, the first woman to head MI6, begins her work highlighting the complexities of global threats ranging from technology to terrorism and information manipulation.
Advances in robotics and drones are inventions that have the potential to cure disease, but also create new weapons with transformative effects.
"The main challenge of the 21st century is not simply who uses the most advanced technology, but who guides it with the greatest wisdom," said Metreweli (48), launching The National (16/12).
The youngest head of MI6 has cited artificial intelligence, biotechnology and quantum computing as technologies that have the potential to create "science fiction-like tools" that offer both challenges and rewards.
As the former head of MI6's unique innovation department known as 'Q', he understands how important AI and other technological advances will be to the world of espionage.
"Technological mastery must permeate everything we do, not only in our laboratories, but also in the field, in our expertise, and more importantly, in the mindset of every officer," he said in a keynote speech at MI6 headquarters Monday.
"We have to be as comfortable with lines of code as we are with human resources, as fluent in Python as we are in a variety of languages," he added, referring to the programming language used by most applications.
However, he emphasized that humans remain vital in overcoming national security threats.
According to him, this is not just a question of "who uses the most advanced technology" but "who guides it with the greatest wisdom."
"Our security, our prosperity, and our humanity depend on it," he said.
In a similar theme about technology and humanity, the Cambridge-educated intelligence officer said in a world that is "dangerous and technologically mediated", the ability to rediscover "common humanity, listening, and courage will determine how our future unfolds."
"It's not what we can do that defines us, but what we choose to do. That choice - the exercise of human agency - has shaped our world before and will shape it again," he explained.
He said "the front lines are everywhere" as a result of Russia's use of hybrid warfare such as disinformation, sabotage and cyberattacks, in its "export chaos" strategy.
He added that Britain faces an "era of uncertainty" as conflict rules are being rewritten by Russia and other countries.
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