News analysis
For China, a mock AI attack on WeChat signals a dangerous new era
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Tencent is the owner of WeChat, an app used by 1.4 billion people a month.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Lily Kuo and Pei-Lin Wu
- A California security team demonstrated that AI could breach millions of WeChat accounts in hours, highlighting a new, potent cyber threat to China's crucial digital infrastructure.
- This AI hacking risk adds urgency to upcoming US-China talks, focusing on AI security amid deep mutual suspicion and fears of escalating cyber competition.
- Chinese officials recognise AI's strategic importance but worry about its risks, pushing for stronger cybersecurity standards and international cooperation to manage AI safety challenges.
AI generated
WeChat, a messaging app, is practically part of the national infrastructure in China, woven into daily communications, government services and digital payments.
That is why a recent discovery by a small team of researchers in California – that a tool built with artificial intelligence could breach millions of accounts in just a few hours – has rattled experts and Chinese analysts.
