Dutch Cyber Security Council (CSR) Calls for Investment in AI and Cybersecurity Resilience

The Dutch Cyber Security Council (CSR) warns that the Netherlands is not sufficiently prepared for the growing threat of AI-driven cyberattacks, which are becoming faster, larger in scale and more difficult to detect. In a signal letter to the Minister of Justice and Security and the State Secretary for Digital Economy and Sovereignty, the Council calls on the government to urgently strengthen national capabilities by accelerating the development of AI expertise, investing strategically in the Dutch AI and cybersecurity ecosystem, and supporting a European Grand Challenge that brings together academia and industry to develop innovative security solutions.

On Thursday 19 March, the Cyber Security Council sent the signal letter “Begin today with the knowledge leap for AI-driven cyberattacks” to the Minister of Justice and Security and the State Secretary for Digital Economy and Sovereignty. The letter was also shared for information with the Ministers of Economic Affairs, Defence and Foreign Affairs, as well as the State Secretary for Kingdom Relations and Digital Government. According to the Council, AI is increasingly being used as a weapon, and the Netherlands is insufficiently prepared for this development. With the use of AI, cyberattacks become faster, larger in scale and more difficult to detect, while the Netherlands’ defensive capabilities are currently too weak to effectively counter such attacks due to a lack of AI expertise.

The Council therefore advises the government to accelerate the development of AI knowledge and to express political support for initiatives such as organising a Grand Challenge together with academia and industry. This would be a competition involving multidisciplinary teams of researchers and companies. The Council sees opportunities to organise such an initiative together with experts in countries including Germany and France, although political support will be essential.

The Council’s recommendations in brief:

• Integrate AI-driven threats into government strategies and policies.
• Invest strategically in the Dutch private sector in the fields of AI and cybersecurity.
• Express political support for a European Grand Challenge on AI and cybersecurity.

The Council calls on the government to take concrete steps on each of these three recommendations within this year. Any delay will increase the Netherlands’ vulnerability.

Click here to read the full letter (in Dutch): CSR_Signaalbrief_AI_-_DEF.pdf

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