Why blocking AI models won’t stop the cyber threats they create | CyberScoop<\/title> <link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/why-blocking-ai-models-wont-stop-cyber-threats-op-ed\/\"> <meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\"> <meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\"> <meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Why blocking AI models won't stop the cyber threats they create\"> <meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"AI companies can find vulnerabilities and write patches. But only the government can build the long-term defense strategy America needs.\"> <meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/why-blocking-ai-models-wont-stop-cyber-threats-op-ed\/\"> <meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"CyberScoop\"> <meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/cyberscoop\/\"> <meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-07-20T14:12:47+00:00\"> <meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-07-20T14:24:21+00:00\"> <meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/why-blocking-ai-models-wont-stop-the-cyber-threats-they-create-1.jpg\"> <meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2309\"> <meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1299\"> <meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\"> <meta name=\"author\" content=\"Greg Otto\"> <meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\"> <meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@gregotto\"> 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href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/why-blocking-ai-models-wont-stop-cyber-threats-op-ed\/#main\" class=\"skip-to-content-link visually-hidden-focusable\">Skip to main content<\/a> <\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--top ad--top-desktop\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p> <main id=\"main\" role=\"main\" tabindex=\"-1\"> <\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--top ad--top-mobile\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<section id=\"stickybar\" class=\"stickybar stickybar--newsletter js-stickybar\" readability=\"0.82\"> <button class=\"stickybar__close js-stickybar-close\" aria-controls=\"stickybar\"> <svg class=\"icon icon--close\" width=\"21\" height=\"22\" viewBox=\"0 0 21 22\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"m.822.518-.805.805L9.695 11 .017 20.678l.805.805 9.678-9.678 9.677 9.678.806-.805L11.305 11l9.678-9.677-.806-.805-9.677 9.677L.822.518Z\" fill=\"currentColor\" \/><\/svg> <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Close<\/span> <\/button> <\/section>\n<article class=\"single-article content\">\n<div class=\"single-article__container js-single-article-content\">\n<header class=\"single-article__header \" readability=\"24.571596244131\">\n<div class=\"single-article__header-content\" readability=\"34.209245742092\">\n<ul class=\"single-article__eyebrow\">\n<li class=\"single-article__category\"> <a class=\"single-article__category-link\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/why-blocking-ai-models-wont-stop-cyber-threats-op-ed\/\"> <span>Commentary<\/span> <\/a> <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p> AI companies can find vulnerabilities and write patches. But only the government can build the long-term defense strategy America needs. <\/p>\n<p>  <br \/>\n<audio id=\"audio-player\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-tts-cdn.api.scpnewsgrp.com\/cyberscoop\/89860\/english.openai.mp3\"><\/audio> <\/p>\n<div readability=\"11\">\n<div>\n<p>Listen to this article<\/p>\n<p>  <\/p>\n<p>0:00<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>  <\/p>\n<p> <span id=\"tts-tooltip\">Learn more.<\/span> <span> This feature uses an automated voice, which may result in occasional errors in pronunciation, tone, or sentiment. <\/span> <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>  <\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__cover-wrap\">\n<figure class=\"single-article__cover\"> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/why-blocking-ai-models-wont-stop-the-cyber-threats-they-create.jpg?resize=640%2C360&ssl=1\" class=\"single-article__cover-image wp-post-image\" alt decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/why-blocking-ai-models-wont-stop-the-cyber-threats-they-create-1.jpg 2309w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/why-blocking-ai-models-wont-stop-the-cyber-threats-they-create-1.jpg?resize=300,168 300w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/why-blocking-ai-models-wont-stop-the-cyber-threats-they-create-1.jpg?resize=768,432 768w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/why-blocking-ai-models-wont-stop-the-cyber-threats-they-create-1.jpg?resize=1024,576 1024w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/why-blocking-ai-models-wont-stop-the-cyber-threats-they-create-1.jpg?resize=1536,864 1536w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/why-blocking-ai-models-wont-stop-the-cyber-threats-they-create-1.jpg?resize=2048,1152 2048w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/why-blocking-ai-models-wont-stop-the-cyber-threats-they-create-1.jpg?resize=600,337 600w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/why-blocking-ai-models-wont-stop-the-cyber-threats-they-create-1.jpg?resize=1200,675 1200w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/why-blocking-ai-models-wont-stop-the-cyber-threats-they-create-1.jpg?resize=1498,843 1498w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\"><figcaption> (Getty images) <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"single-article__content\">\n<div class=\"single-article__content-inner has-drop-cap\"> <html readability=\"37.771713615023\"><body readability=\"76.683544303797\"><\/p>\n<p>2026 has turned out to be the year when predictions about AI-powered cyberattacks, long hypothesized as a potential risk associated with AI improvement, seem to be coming true. New models have capabilities on par with the best human hackers, marking a pivotal window of opportunity in both AI and cybersecurity policy. This is a transitional period where new technologies are pushing existing American cybersecurity infrastructure to the brink. The real question isn\u2019t whether cybersecurity still matters, but rather: How will the risks that AI introduces be managed before they outpace defenses, and who will step up to lead this challenge?<\/p>\n<p>Attempts to control access to models with powerful cybersecurity capabilities, such as the federal government\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.anthropic.com\/news\/fable-mythos-access\">export controls<\/a> (and their subsequent <a href=\"https:\/\/www.anthropic.com\/news\/redeploying-fable-5\">revocation<\/a>) on Anthropic\u2019s Mythos and Fable models, can only ever be a temporary solution. As with previous generations of AI models, other companies will soon catch up and develop models with Mythos-level capabilities. OpenAI was already hot on Anthropic\u2019s heels with its <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aisi.gov.uk\/blog\/our-evaluation-of-openais-gpt-5-5-cyber-capabilities\">GPT-5.5 model<\/a>; more recently, Chinese lab Z.ai released its open-weight <a href=\"https:\/\/www.axios.com\/2026\/06\/25\/china-glm-52-open-source-hackers\">GLM-5.2 model<\/a>, which early research suggests may be on par with Anthropic and OpenAI\u2019s latest models when it comes to cybersecurity. Controlling AI is nearly impossible when foreign companies race to build more powerful models and release them publicly, so anyone with sufficient computing power can modify them for their own purposes.<\/p>\n<p>The only long-term solution is to invest in defense. <\/p>\n<p>The problem is that defensive efforts haven\u2019t kept up with the pace of AI progress. The federal government cut resources to key agencies like CISA and redistributed their authorities. This created a gap that AI companies have filled by taking on responsibilities that should be government-led. Some examples are Anthropic\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.anthropic.com\/project\/glasswing\">Project Glasswing<\/a> and OpenAI\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/openai.com\/index\/patch-the-planet\/\">Patch the Planet<\/a> initiative, which aim to shore up critical infrastructure providers and open-source software libraries. AI companies have some incentives to invest in defense, both to improve public relations and strengthen software supply chains that they also rely on\u2014but only to a certain extent. Unlike the public sector, they are incentivized to limit liability and blowback associated with irresponsible corporate behavior, not to secure the nation or its citizens. It\u2019s a good thing that OpenAI and Anthropic have publicly committed to improving U.S. cyber defense. However, they are only positioned to help with one part of a very large problem. <\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--inline_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>AI companies shouldn\u2019t be expected to singlehandedly coordinate U.S. cyber defense, because many of the most urgent fixes have nothing to do with AI. Right now, AI companies can use their most powerful models to find software vulnerabilities and write patches. This is undoubtedly important, but the real challenge is making sure patches actually work and deploying them to key systems without causing problems. This is especially true for critical infrastructure, which relies on systems that are fragile, understaffed, and required to run continuously. <\/p>\n<p>AI companies bear responsibility for cyber defense, especially given the threats their own technologies create. But this responsibility is shared with other companies and the government. Critical infrastructure owners and operators, government agencies, and corporations all need a trustworthy source of information to judge the evolving risk landscape and to outline the options to reduce that risk. Traditionally, the federal government has played the role of an information clearinghouse, receiving intelligence from both the public and private sectors and releasing guidance to benefit various stakeholders. Responding to and recovering from cyberattacks has traditionally been the government\u2019s job. It should stay the government\u2019s job, not become an AI company responsibility. <\/p>\n<p>There is no question that cyberattacks, whether powered by AI or not, will happen in the future. Leaders should strengthen our defenses by doing the following: measuring our exposure to attack, testing how systems perform under attack, and shortening recovery times. AI companies have introduced new threats and should help address them, but they can\u2019t replace the government\u2019s role. So far, the federal government has only reacted to AI and cyberthreats instead of planning ahead. What we need is real long-term cybersecurity strategy, not quick-fixes like blocking individual model releases. <\/p>\n<p>Everyone sees the threat coming\u2014the question is whether or not we have the will to do anything about it before it\u2019s too late.<\/p>\n<p><em>Jessica Ji is a senior research analyst at Georgetown University\u2019s Center for Security and Emerging Technology (CSET), where she works on the CyberAI Project.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Andrew Lohn is a senior fellow at Georgetown University\u2019s Center for Security and Emerging Technology (CSET), where he works on the CyberAI Project.<\/em><\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--inline_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p> <\/body> <\/p>\n<footer class=\"single-article__footer\" readability=\"0.42537313432836\">\n<div class=\"author-card\" readability=\"7\">\n<p><h4 class=\"author-card__name\">Written by Jessica Ji and Andrew Lohn<\/h4>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div 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{"id":8841,"date":"2026-07-20T09:12:47","date_gmt":"2026-07-20T14:12:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/?p=89860"},"modified":"2026-07-20T09:12:47","modified_gmt":"2026-07-20T14:12:47","slug":"why-blocking-ai-models-wont-stop-the-cyber-threats-they-create","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/2026\/07\/20\/why-blocking-ai-models-wont-stop-the-cyber-threats-they-create\/","title":{"rendered":"Why blocking AI models won\u2019t stop the cyber threats they create"},"content":{"rendered":"