Washington:U.S. lawmakers have introduced a bill aimed at bolstering American cybersecurity defenses against artificial intelligence (AI) attacks, naming North Korea and Iran as countries of concern. Congressional data revealed this development on Monday.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the AI Cyber Defense Act, put forward by Rep. Pat Harrigan (R-NC) and Rep. George Whitesides (D-CA), has been referred to the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology. The bill seeks to direct the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to collaborate with private-sector AI stakeholders to create voluntary standards and best practices for identifying and preventing AI distillation attacks.
In related news, U.S. experts have assessed that China is unlikely to mediate a potential summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Sydney Seiler, a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), noted during a CSIS podcast that there appears to be no urgent need for renewed U.S.-North Korea talks from the perspective of Pyongyang or other key players.
Additionally, on Wednesday, the United States imposed sanctions on 10 individuals and one entity accused of aiding North Korea's illicit overseas IT worker operations. These operations are believed to be generating revenue for North Korea's weapons programs. The Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control stated that the sanctions target networks facilitating employment for North Korean IT workers at legitimate businesses using stolen identities and fraudulent documents.
Furthermore, South Korea, the United States, and other partners reaffirmed their commitment to the denuclearization of North Korea. In a joint statement with 11 countries and the European Union, they welcomed sanctions aimed at disrupting North Korea's funding for its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs.
On Thursday, the U.S. Pacific Command (PACOM) stated that North Korea's latest ballistic missile launches posed no immediate threat to the United States or its allies. PACOM emphasized its commitment to regional defense, noting that the missile launches do not currently threaten U.S. personnel, territory, or allies.
Finally, senior diplomats from South Korea, the United States, and Japan conducted telephone consultations on Friday to discuss responses to North Korea's latest missile launches. The consultations followed North Korea's firing of approximately 10 short-range ballistic missiles from the Wonsan area toward the East Sea, as reported by South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS).