China's Top Security Official Flags AI as a National Security Risk

China's minister for State Security, Chen Yixin, has written that artificial intelligence has become a central battleground in global technology competition and a new front in rivalry between major powers. Writing in China Cyberspace Magazine, Chen raised concerns that AI could be used to detect and exploit software vulnerabilities, attack critical infrastructure, or steal industrial and state secrets.

Chen also singled out AI products with what he called 'structural problems', including remote control over device permissions and leakage of sensitive user information. He noted that some domestic users lack sufficient security awareness when using foreign AI tools to process sensitive data, which he said has resulted in large-scale data leaks from within China.

Beyond technical risks, Chen expressed concern about AI's impact on social governance, pointing to 'black box' algorithms, data bias, erosion of user trust through misuse of personal information, and difficulty assigning responsibility for automated decisions. He argued that existing legal and governance frameworks have not kept pace with AI's rapid development, and called for China to strengthen its national security systems and pursue technological sovereignty in response.