London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

MI6 must adapt to new technology to survive, says spy chief

MI6 must adapt to new technology to survive, says spy chief

Britain's Secret Intelligence Service, better known as MI6, must become more open in order to do its secret work effectively. That's according to its chief, Richard Moore, in his first major public speech since taking on the role in October 2020.

Artificial Intelligence (AI), quantum computing and digital technology have combined to completely transform the way human intelligence is gathered by spies, presenting MI6 with major challenges in the digital age.

Biometric data and facial recognition, for example, have made it far harder for intelligence officers to assume false identities in hostile countries without being recognised and exposed.

It was revealed in September that inside MI6 headquarters at Vauxhall Cross there is a real-life Q Section that works to provide Britain's spies with the latest gadgets to keep them safe and secret.

But on Tuesday, in addressing the London-based think tank the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), Mr Moore will admit that mastering human intelligence in this era of accelerating technology is not something his service can do in its own.

MI6 spies acquire secrets from overseas targets to help protect Britain's national security


Mr Moore, who has spent 34 years working for MI6, will tell his audience it "includes being more open, and partnering with the private sector to find new technologies".

He adds that "advances in quantum engineering and engineered biology will change entire industries".

Advances here and in data science in general will have attractions for malign actors, both nation-state and trans-national terrorist groups.

"I am paid," he says, "to look at the threat side of the ledger. MI6 deals with the world as it is, not as we would like it to be".

He describes the impact of all this revolutionary technical progress as "a white-hot focus for MI6".

So where exactly does he say these threats to the UK's national security are coming from?

Mr Moore lists China, Russia, Iran and international terrorism as the "Big Four" priorities for the (West's) intelligence world.

"Our adversaries are pouring money and ambition into mastering artificial intelligence, quantum computing and synthetic biology because they know... this will give them leverage".

Artificial intelligence has transformed the way information is gathered by spies


As one of Britain's three intelligence agencies, along with the Security Service (MI5) and GCHQ, MI6's role has always been to acquire secrets from overseas targets to help protect Britain's national security.

While human intelligence - old-fashioned spying - has been at the heart of its work, the MI6 chief points to his service's innovations over time. Examples he cites are "from the chemistry that enabled us to produce secret writing technologies in the early days, to the wireless and secure speech technologies we developed during the Second World War".

Today, he says, MI6 is a founding member of the UK's unified cyber command which counters state threats, terrorists and criminals and supports military operations.

This speech could perhaps be seen as a belated admission that if it is not careful, MI6 risks getting left behind by the breakneck speed of advances in digital technology.

"We cannot hope to replicate the global tech industry, so we must tap into it," he says. "

Through the National Security Strategic Investment Fund we are opening up our mission problems to those with talent in organisations that wouldn't normally work with national security."

But such a sea change in the way MI6 works will not go unnoticed by Britain's adversaries. Going into partnership with others outside the closed world of career spies, whose lifelong mantra has been secrecy, brings with it an inherent risk of leaks or worse, however thoroughly people are vetted.

MI6 may have no other choice but to go down this route - but it is still a bold move that could present the UK's enemies with some interesting opportunities.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×