As the United States races to lead in breakthrough technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum computing, cyber threats continue to escalate. Malicious actors are targeting American infrastructure—from telecommunications networks and energy grids to water plants—raising concerns about national security in an increasingly digital battleground, according to Google.
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"While generative AI can be used by threat actors to accelerate and amplify attacks, they haven't yet been able to use AI to develop novel capabilities," says Kent Walker, President of Global Affairs, Google and Alphabet, in a blog post on January 29, 2025.
However, according to Walker, "the defenders are still ahead — for now."
He said, "To keep it that way, particularly as powerful new models — which can be leveraged by a wide variety of actors — begin to gain traction, American industry and government need to work together to support our national and economic security."
Walker highlighted three national security imperatives for the AI era.
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1. Private-sector leadership in AI chips and infrastructure is absolutely critical.
According to Google, the United States holds a narrow lead in the global AI landscape with American companies leading the charge, investing hundreds of billions of dollars in research and development annually.
To maintain that momentum, Google says they need government support through strategic approaches to trade and export policies that help American firms outcompete China and its national champions in building the data centers and platforms used by people around the world.
2. Modernising Public-Sector Technology Procurement
According to Google, AI drives significant gains in efficiency, costs and security. But America needs urgent reforms to seize those opportunities and enable the government to develop and deploy cutting-edge digital services at scale.
"The US government, including the military and intelligence community, needs to streamline outdated procurement systems to enable adoption of AI, cloud and other game-changing technologies. Here the new Department of Government Efficiency can pave the way for modernisation efforts while reducing the government’s reliance on insecure legacy vendors," Walker added.
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3. Enhancing Public-Private Cyber Defense Collaboration
Recent cyber breaches, such as Salt Typhoon and Volt Typhoon, underscore the need for stronger coordination between government and industry. Expanding initiatives like the Coalition for Secure AI and the Frontier Model Forum will help improve cyber defenses, accelerate threat response, and ensure AI is used to identify and mitigate vulnerabilities in critical systems.
"AI brings incredible opportunities for cyber defenders, but we need to act with urgency to develop and share best practices through groups like the Coalition for Secure AI and the Frontier Model Forum. And we need to use AI to assist with red teaming for attack techniques, uncovering vulnerabilities in widely used software and building safe and secure models — while sharing insights to address AI security challenges," he explained.
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According to Walker, America currently leads in AI, but that advantage is fragile. "America holds the lead in the AI race — but our advantage may not last. By working together we can build on and accelerate America’s AI edge, boost our national security and seize the opportunity ahead," Walker emphasised.
