{"id":899655,"date":"2026-04-17T03:12:29","date_gmt":"2026-04-17T08:12:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2026\/04\/17\/uk-businesses-must-face-up-to-ai-threat-says-government\/"},"modified":"2026-04-17T03:12:29","modified_gmt":"2026-04-17T08:12:29","slug":"uk-businesses-must-face-up-to-ai-threat-says-government","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2026\/04\/17\/uk-businesses-must-face-up-to-ai-threat-says-government\/","title":{"rendered":"UK businesses must face up to AI threat, says government"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/visuals\/German\/article\/cloud-computing-adobe_searchsitetablet_520X173.jpg\" data-credit=\"vectorfusionart - stock.adobe.co\"  width=\"520\" height=\"173\" alt><\/p>\n<p>vectorfusionart &#8211; stock.adobe.co<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"content-header\">\n<h2>Business secretary Liz Kendall urges Britain\u2019s business community to sit up and pay attention to emerging AI threats, following the debut of Anthropic\u2019s new frontier model, Mythos.<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"content-center\">\n<ul>\n<li><i data-icon=\"1\"><\/i><\/li>\n<li><i data-icon=\"2\"><\/i><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div id=\"contributors-block\">\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.ttgtmedia.com\/rms\/computerweekly\/Alex-Scroxton-CW-Contributor-2022.jpg\" alt=\"Alex Scroxton\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p><span>By<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.techtarget.com\/contributor\/Alex-Scroxton\">Alex Scroxton,<\/a><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Security Editor<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\n\tPublished: <span>15 Apr 2026 21:53<\/span>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<section id=\"content-body\">\n<p>A new generation of experimental, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nvidia.com\/en-us\/glossary\/frontier-models\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">frontier AI models<\/a> are rapidly developing the ability to discover and exploit <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techtarget.com\/searchsecurity\/definition\/Common-Vulnerabilities-and-Exposures-CVE\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">software vulnerabilities<\/a> and business leaders need to start to pay attention, the UK government has warned.<\/p>\n<p>In an open letter to Britain\u2019s business leaders <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/publications\/ai-cyber-threats-open-letter-to-business-leaders\/ai-cyber-threats-open-letter-to-business-leaders-html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">published on 15 April<\/a>, business secretary Liz Kendall said the threats organisations face in cyber space are changing and their responses need to change, too.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFor years, the most serious cyber attacks have relied on a small number of highly skilled criminals. That is now shifting,\u201d she said. \u201cAI\u00a0models are becoming capable of doing work that previously required rare expertise: finding weaknesses in software, writing the code to exploit them, and doing so at a speed and scale that would have been impossible even a year ago.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Following the recent debut of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.darkreading.com\/application-security\/anthropic-exploit-writing-mythos-ai-safe\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Anthropic\u2019s frontier model, Mythos<\/a>, and its accompanying <a href=\"https:\/\/omdia.tech.informa.com\/om145170\/mythos-glasswing-and-the-future-of-cybersecurity\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Project Glasswing<\/a> \u2013 which is intended to give some of the world\u2019s largest technology companies a head start on addressing the vulnerabilities it can supposedly uncover \u2013 Kendall revealed that the UK\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aisi.gov.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">AI Security Institute<\/a> (AISI) operated by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has been testing out its capabilities.<\/p>\n<p>She said AISI had found Mythos to be \u201csubstantially more capable at cyber offence than any model we have previously assessed.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>According to the AISI, frontier model capabilities are doubling every four months, down from eight months in the recent past.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis finding is significant both for what it means today, but also because it highlights the speed at which\u00a0AI\u00a0capabilities are increasing and the threats they potentially pose,\u201d said Kendall<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOpenAI also announced scaling up their <a href=\"https:\/\/openai.com\/index\/scaling-trusted-access-for-cyber-defense\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Trusted Access for Cyber<\/a> programme last night, showing that AI\u2019s accelerating impact on cyber is not isolated to a single company, and we expect more to follow.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe trajectory is clear and therefore it is vital that we are prepared for frontier\u00a0AI\u00a0model capabilities to rapidly increase over the next year, and plan accordingly for that outcome,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<section data-menu-title=\"Responding to the threat\">\n<h2><i data-icon=\"1\"><\/i>Responding to the threat<\/h2>\n<p>Kendall said the UK government is not standing still in response to this threat \u2013 having opened up the AISI two-and-a-half years ago, she said the nation now boasts the most advanced capabilities anywhere in the world for understanding frontier AI models.<\/p>\n<p>More broadly, she continued, the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) continues to work up practical guidance for end-user organisations, while the upcoming <a href=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/opinion\/UKs-Cyber-Bill-should-be-just-one-part-of-a-wider-effort\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Cyber Security and Resilience Bill<\/a> and the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/publications\/government-cyber-action-plan\/government-cyber-action-plan\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">National Cyber Action Plan<\/a> \u2013 soon to be published, will also move things in the right direction.<\/p>\n<p>But, said Kendall, government action alone is insufficient. \u201cEvery business in the UK has a part of play. Criminals will not just target government systems and critical infrastructure. They will target ordinary companies, of every size, in every sector. Attackers go where defences are weakest,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p>Kendall urged business leaders and board members to ensure they are regularly discussing cyber risks and not delegating such things to IT teams, and consider signing up to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/publications\/cyber-governance-code-of-practice\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Cyber Governance Code of Practice<\/a>\u00a0if they have not already, while smaller business can avail themselves of the NCSC\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/cybertoolkit.service.ncsc.gov.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Cyber Action Toolkit<\/a>. All businesses should also be planning and rehearsing incident response practices, and considering taking out cyber insurance.<\/p>\n<p>She also pointed businesses towards the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/publications\/cyber-essentials-scheme-overview\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Cyber Essentials<\/a> certification scheme to help organisations establish basic security policies and procedures, and additionally highlighted resources provided by the NCSC \u2013 notably its Early Warning service \u2013 and by regulators for regulated sectors.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe are entering a period in which the pace of technological change may test every institution in the country. The businesses that act now \u2013 that treat cyber security as an essential part of running a modern company, not an optional extra \u2013 will be the ones best placed to thrive through it and seize its advantages. We urge you to be among them,\u201d said Kendall.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"DigDeeperSplash\">\n<h4>\n\t\t\t<i data-icon=\"m\"><\/i>Read more on IT risk management<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li><a id=\"DigDeeperItem-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/news\/366641563\/UK-financial-regulators-rush-to-assess-risks-of-Anthropic-AI-model\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/visuals\/ComputerWeekly\/Hero Images\/AI-artificial-intelligence-virtual-mind-fotolia_searchsitetablet_520X173.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/visuals\/ComputerWeekly\/Hero%20Images\/AI-artificial-intelligence-virtual-mind-fotolia_searchsitetablet_520X173.jpg 960w,https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/visuals\/ComputerWeekly\/Hero%20Images\/AI-artificial-intelligence-virtual-mind-fotolia.jpg 1280w\" alt ><\/p>\n<h5>UK financial regulators rush to assess risks of Anthropic AI model<\/h5>\n<div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/rms\/computerweekly\/Karl-Flinders-profile-pic-2022-140x180px.jpg\" alt=\"KarlFlinders\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p><span>By: <span>Karl\u00a0Flinders<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a id=\"DigDeeperItem-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.techtarget.com\/searchcio\/feature\/Weekly-news-roundup-Claude-Mythos-concerns-Muse-Spark-debut-and-US-infrastructure-disruption\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/rms\/onlineimages\/maze_g467037520_searchsitetablet_520X173.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/rms\/onlineimages\/maze_g467037520_searchsitetablet_520X173.jpg 960w,https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/rms\/onlineimages\/maze_g467037520.jpg 1280w\" alt ><\/p>\n<h5>Weekly news roundup: Claude Mythos concerns, Muse Spark debut and U.S. infrastructure disruption<\/h5>\n<div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/rms\/onlineimages\/heaton_rosa.jpg\" alt=\"RosaHeaton\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p><span>By: <span>Rosa\u00a0Heaton<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a id=\"DigDeeperItem-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/news\/366639303\/UK-AI-alignment-project-gets-OpenAI-and-Microsoft-boost\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/rms\/onlineimages\/security_a265805656_searchsitetablet_520X173.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/rms\/onlineimages\/security_a265805656_searchsitetablet_520X173.jpg 960w,https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/rms\/onlineimages\/security_a265805656.jpg 1280w\" alt ><\/p>\n<h5>UK AI alignment project gets OpenAI and Microsoft boost<\/h5>\n<div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/rms\/computerweekly\/Cliff-Saran-Sep-2022-140x180px.jpg\" alt=\"CliffSaran\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p><span>By: <span>Cliff\u00a0Saran<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a id=\"DigDeeperItem-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/news\/366636655\/AI-safeguards-improving-says-UK-government-backed-body\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/visuals\/ComputerWeekly\/HeroImages\/investigation-compliance-competition-research-questions-peterschreiber-media-adobe_searchsitetablet_520X173.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/visuals\/ComputerWeekly\/HeroImages\/investigation-compliance-competition-research-questions-peterschreiber-media-adobe_searchsitetablet_520X173.jpg 960w,https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/visuals\/ComputerWeekly\/HeroImages\/investigation-compliance-competition-research-questions-peterschreiber-media-adobe.jpg 1280w\" alt ><\/p>\n<h5>AI safeguards improving, says UK government-backed body<\/h5>\n<div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/rms\/computerweekly\/Alex-Scroxton-CW-Contributor-2022.jpg\" alt=\"AlexScroxton\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p><span>By: <span>Alex\u00a0Scroxton<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/news\/366641649\/UK-businesses-must-face-up-to-AI-threat-says-government\" class=\"button purchase\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Read More<\/a><br \/>\n Luz Center<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>vectorfusionart &#8211; stock.adobe.co Business secretary Liz Kendall urges Britain\u2019s business community to sit up and pay attention to emerging AI threats, following the debut of Anthropic\u2019s new frontier model, Mythos. By Alex Scroxton, Security Editor Published: 15 Apr 2026 21:53 A new generation of experimental, frontier AI models are rapidly developing the ability to discover<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":899656,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2487,46,3042],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-899655","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-businesses","8":"category-technology","9":"category-threat"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/899655","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=899655"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/899655\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/899656"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=899655"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=899655"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=899655"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}