A National Security Research Agenda for Cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence

This issue brief explores a national security-driven research agenda at the intersection of cybersecurity and artificial intelligence (AI), specifically focusing on machine learning. It addresses the changing landscape of cyber operations in offense, defense, adversarial learning, and raises overarching questions critical to national security policymakers. The agenda covers how AI might enhance offensive cyber operations, improve defense capabilities by detecting and responding to intrusions, examine the cybersecurity vulnerabilities intrinsic to machine learning systems, and explore the strategic implications of AI in cybersecurity. Key areas of concern include the automation of spear-phishing, the potential for machine learning to discover software vulnerabilities, the defensive applications of AI in detecting malicious activity, and the unique vulnerabilities presented by machine learning systems themselves. This research highlights the need for a multidisciplinary approach to understanding the national security implications of AI in cybersecurity, advocating for further exploration into how machine learning could reshape cyber strategies, potentially alter the offense-defense balance, and impact strategic stability.