King Charles III has warned that malicious online actors are evolving their tactics through automated technologies, posing threats to trust and security in the digital age.
In a letter to the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) marking its 10th anniversary, the King wrote that "malicious actors" continue to "evolve their tactics by using automated technologies." He described disinformation and "hostile online activity" as challenges to digital security and called strong cyber security "fundamental to making the online environment safer and more resilient."
The King praised the NCSC, which was established in 2016 as part of the Government Communications Headquarters. He said the agency's achievements over the past decade included defending against cyber attacks, safeguarding democratic institutions and protecting "the critical infrastructure upon which daily life depends." He expressed "profound gratitude" for work the agency cannot publicly discuss.
The letter arrives as the NCSC offered assistance to online retailer Asos following a high-profile breach. Cyber criminals used Asos's own app system to send a pop-up notification to potentially millions of users this week. Asos disclosed that hackers obtained detailed profiles including names, addresses, phone numbers, emails, customer numbers and dates of birth. The company initially said only basic contact details might have been accessed, but the BBC found the breach was more extensive after contacting cyber criminals involved.
The King's warning on disinformation and automated threats follows comments he made to AI executives last month at Dumfries House in Ayrshire. During that meeting with tech leaders including Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, the King warned of the "existential dangers" posed by AI falling into the wrong hands and being used in "potentially catastrophic ways." He told the executives their task was "not merely to advance technology, but to ensure that it remains firmly in the service of humanity, community and the natural world."
The King previously noted that those who created AI technologies are increasingly warning about the rapidly evolving capabilities of advanced AI models and risks they may develop darker uses, including potentially taking life.