Israel Warns Iran Is Developing AI-Powered Cyber Weapons

Yossi Karadi, head of Israel's National Cyber Directorate, warned Tuesday that Iran is actively working to develop advanced offensive cyber capabilities using artificial intelligence, posing a growing threat to national security.

Speaking at Cyber Week, held at Tel Aviv University, Karadi said that while international attention remains focused on preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, Tehran is simultaneously pursuing another potentially dangerous form of technological warfare.

"While the international community is focusing its efforts on preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, Tehran is simultaneously working to develop a technological weapon that is no less dangerous," Karadi warned.

Artificial Intelligence Gives Cyberattackers a Growing Advantage

According to Karadi, cyberattackers currently have a significant advantage over defenders, at least until artificial intelligence is fully integrated into national cybersecurity systems. He explained that attackers can concentrate their resources on a single target, while defenders must protect numerous organizations against a wide range of evolving threats.

"While an attacker needs only one model and one target, defenders face a far more complex mission," he said. "The national defense system must simultaneously protect numerous organizations around the clock, contend with a wide variety of attacking models, and do so while complying with regulatory requirements."

Karadi also outlined a strategic concept gaining acceptance in the United States, describing a new form of cyber warfare based on prolonged attrition rather than a single decisive attack. Under this approach, adversaries do not need to achieve victory through one devastating cyberstrike. Instead, they can gradually weaken a country's systems and infrastructure through repeated attacks that overwhelm its ability to recover.

"In the age of artificial intelligence, the race is focused on the speed of recovery," Karadi explained. When the frequency of attacks exceeds the pace at which systems can recover, isolated incidents can accumulate into widespread systemic damage, gradually weakening a country even without a single devastating blow.

His remarks highlight the growing challenge facing national cybersecurity systems as artificial intelligence accelerates the development of offensive capabilities and increases the pressure on governments to strengthen their defenses and recovery mechanisms.