UK Cyber Chief Warns of AI-Driven Attacks on Infrastructure by 2028

British businesses and public services face a tightening deadline to secure their digital foundations, according to a warning issued Tuesday by the country's top cyber official. Richard Horne, head of the National Cyber Security Center, stated that the United Kingdom is likely to encounter artificial intelligence cyberattacks on critical infrastructure by 2028. He noted that nations including China and Russia, along with criminal groups, are integrating AI into their operations at an accelerating rate.

Horne explained that AI will allow attackers to identify and exploit vulnerabilities that have remained unaddressed for years. The technology enables these flaws to be targeted on a scale he described as previously unimaginable. This shift threatens systems that support daily life, including electricity switching, water management, manufacturing lines, and heating controls.

The annual cyber report identifies Chinese cyberactivity as the most sophisticated and sustained threat facing the U.K. Russia is also expected to use AI routinely to meet geopolitical objectives, while it intentionally conducts campaigns that stay below the threshold of armed conflict. Iran is simultaneously targeting individuals perceived as threats to its government. The report suggests AI will primarily enhance existing tactics rather than create entirely new methods of attack.

Recent incidents illustrate the risks of relying on outdated equipment. Horne cited the recent compromise of refrigeration units in France, where hackers raised temperatures to cause food to thaw. The systems were vulnerable because they ran on obsolete technology, were connected directly to the internet, and used default passwords. Security experts from the NCSC worked through the night to notify affected organizations in the U.K., where similar fridges had been impacted.

The financial toll of these threats is substantial. The NCSC estimates that malicious cyberactivity costs U.K. organizations nearly $20 billion annually. In 2025, Jaguar Land Rover reported direct losses exceeding $260 million after a cyberattack disrupted its operations and affected suppliers. Horne told The Associated Press that last week saw urgent security updates issued after AI-assisted researchers found two critical flaws in a programming language used by 70% of global websites. These flaws could allow unauthenticated access to web servers.

Anne Keast-Butler, director of GCHQ, urged organizations to act immediately to protect customers and services. She stated that cybersecurity has become part of the nation's front-line defense. The NCSC recommended basic measures, including keeping devices updated, limiting administrator access, and maintaining backups of important data. Horne warned that leaders who have relied on cheap technology must explain outages if they fail to invest in security.