Archive · 15 Sep 2026
China’s Top Spy Chief Warns AI Could Threaten Stability
China’s State Security Minister Chen Yixin warned that artificial intelligence can be dangerous when people misuse it.
He said fake videos and computer-generated messages could spread political rumors.
Social media bots could make false stories seem popular and divide people.
AI could also help attackers find weaknesses in computer systems.
It might give spies better tools for collecting government information, business secrets and personal data.
Chen also said countries leading in AI might use security rules to control technology and industry standards.
His article was published in China Cyberspace magazine on a Sunday.
The warning came shortly after leaders of OpenAI and Anthropic called for stronger safety measures.
Chen’s article did not mention those corporate warnings or Sam Altman’s comments about OpenAI safeguards and a possible IPO.
State Security Minister Chen Yixin warned that abusive AI use could threaten China’s political, institutional and ideological security.
He said deepfakes, AI-generated propaganda, text and images, and social media bots could manipulate public opinion and deepen social divisions.
Chen also warned that AI could enable cyberattacks, vulnerability discovery and more advanced espionage tools.
AI-powered web crawlers, data mining and profiling systems could help foreign intelligence agencies collect state data, trade secrets and personal information.
The warning came days after the chiefs of OpenAI and Anthropic urged stronger safeguards for rapidly advancing AI, although Chen’s article did not mention them.
- Who
- Chen Yixin, China’s State Security Minister; the chiefs of OpenAI and Anthropic were also mentioned as having separately warned about AI risks.
- What
- Warnings that rapid or abusive AI use could threaten political stability, critical infrastructure, national security, privacy and social cohesion.
- When
- Chen’s article was published on a Sunday, days after the chiefs of OpenAI and Anthropic urged stronger AI safeguards.
- Where
- The article was published in China Cyberspace magazine.
- Why
- Because deepfakes, propaganda, bots, cyber tools and AI-based data collection could be used for political manipulation, espionage, cyberattacks and technology control.
- Chinese official
- Chen Yixin, China’s State Security Minister
- Main security concerns
- Political, institutional, ideological and national security threats
- Potential manipulation tools
- Deepfakes, AI-generated text and images, propaganda and social media bots
- Cyber and espionage risks
- AI-driven cyberattacks, vulnerability discovery and advanced espionage tools
- Information at risk
- State data, trade secrets and personal information
- Technology competition
- AI-leading countries could impose technology controls, monopolize industry standards and build closed-source ecosystems
- Related warnings
- The chiefs of OpenAI and Anthropic recently called for stronger safeguards
