CIA chief pledges expanded use of AI to counter global rivals

CIA Director John Ratcliffe has pledged to accelerate the agency's adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum computing, saying rapid advances in emerging technologies are reshaping global competition and national security.

Speaking at a technology conference in Washington on June 30, Ratcliffe outlined plans to make organisational changes at the Central Intelligence Agency to increase the use of cutting-edge technologies, Bloomberg reports.

He said the United States must move quickly because its geopolitical rivals are also investing heavily in AI, likening its capabilities to “digital nuclear weapons” that are “rewriting the reality of conflict.”

Ratcliffe said the global development of AI would continue to raise the stakes in competition between the United States and its adversaries.

According to the CIA director, the agency has signed around 400 technology contracts related to AI over the past six months as part of its effort to expand its technological capabilities.

He also praised the work of companies founded or led by Elon Musk and said he had invited Musk, along with the chief executives of Amazon, Google parent company Alphabet and Dell, to visit the CIA to discuss technological innovation.

To speed up the deployment of AI, Ratcliffe said the agency has introduced a new procurement system and is working to standardise its data. The move mirrors reforms announced in January by U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth aimed at accelerating the military's adoption of artificial intelligence, according to Bloomberg.

Ratcliffe stressed that the CIA would maintain human oversight over AI systems, saying people would continue to make critical decisions while the agency pursued innovation. He added that the CIA intends to take calculated risks, experiment with new technologies and adjust its approach as needed.

By Sabina Mammadli