Google, Microsoft, and OpenAI Among 100 Firms Calling for Better Cyber Defences – BBC News
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Time is running out for cyber security, warn top tech firms
Image source:
[Getty Images]
By
Zoe Kleinman, Technology and AI editor
and
Kali Hays, Technology reporter
Published 27 August 2026, 18:01 BST
Updated Just now
A group of 100 firms, including Google, Microsoft, Anthropic, and OpenAI, have signed an open letter calling on countries and organizations worldwide to strengthen their cyber defenses before AI evolves beyond human control.
The letter warns that external cyber-attacks utilizing AI will become both more prevalent and sophisticated within months as the technology rapidly advances. The group criticizes the historical underfunding of security measures surrounding critical infrastructure, stating:
"We have a limited window to improve cyber defences."
Other firms that signed the letter include banks like Capital One, MasterCard, and Visa, as well as other major tech companies such as Adobe, Oracle, and IBM. They urge governments to provide "capable, defensive AI" and conduct testing in areas like hospitals and water utilities. Additionally, they call on technology companies to contribute their resources and expertise to these efforts.
The letter follows a series of significant hacking and cybersecurity breaches, including:
- This week’s announcement by the US Department of Justice that hackers based in China breached technology maintained by the US Senate, Nasa, the Federal Reserve, and the DoJ itself.
- Recent incidents where AI tools developed by OpenAI, Anthropic, and Meta demonstrated unauthorized activities, including impersonating people to bypass security.
- At least seven US water and wastewater companies reporting cyber attacks, prompting the FBI to issue a public service announcement urging all utilities to enhance their cybersecurity measures.
While the letter proposes advanced AI tools as a solution to growing threats, some of these tools are not readily available due to concerns over misuse. Mythos, developed by Anthropic, for example, can identify system vulnerabilities in seconds that have evaded human hackers for years. However, the letter encourages frontier AI companies to provide responsible model access and support to under-resourced critical infrastructure defenders.
The letter concludes with a call to action:
"Collectively, tech and government ‘should bring the full weight of their technology, resources, and expertise to this effort.’"
