British companies, public institutions, and organizations have faced a rising wave of cyberattacks in recent years, resulting in tens of millions of pounds in losses and extended operational

disruptions.

In just the past three weeks, major UK retailers—including Marks & Spencer, the Co-op Group, and Harrods—have been targeted. Marks & Spencer is still unable to process online clothing orders due to the incident. The companies have not disclosed specifics about the nature of the attacks.

Cabinet Office Minister Pat McFadden, who oversees UK cyber security, said:
“Today we are declassifying an intelligence assessment that shows AI is going to increase not only the frequency but the intensity of cyberattacks in the coming years.”

As artificial intelligence becomes more widely adopted, the UK government warns that the cyber threat landscape will become increasingly complex and dangerous. Photo by Jernej Furman from Slovenia, Wikimedia commons.