BT launches AI cyber defence service as UK faces growing attack threat
BT is stepping up its efforts to tackle AI-powered cyber attacks through its partnership with Microsoft, as British businesses face mounting pressure to shield themselves against increasingly sophisticated threats.
The telecoms giant is seeking to capitalise on growing demand for outsourced cyber security, as companies struggle to keep pace with attacks that are becoming faster and more difficult to detect.
BT announced on Tuesday that it would launch a new managed security service using Microsoft technology, combining the US tech giant’s software with its own UK-based security operations.
The service will allow businesses and public sector organisations to outsource the monitoring and protection of their networks, rather than relying entirely on in-house security teams.
The move comes as AI changes the speed and scale of cyber attacks. According to Microsoft’s latest Digital Defense Report, the time between the discovery of a software vulnerability and attackers developing ways to exploit it has fallen to well below 24 hours.
BT, which says it blocks around four million attempted cyber attacks every day, is looking to strengthen its position in the growing market for managed cyber security services.
Paolo Pescatore, technology, media and telecoms analyst at PP Foresight, told City AM the move was a logical step for the company as cyber security becomes an increasingly important part of telecoms operators’ businesses.
“Cybersecurity is becoming as critical as connectivity”, he said. “AI is fundamentally reshaping the threat landscape, placing enormous pressure on businesses to protect their operations, customers and data. Many organisations simply lack the resources, skills and expertise to tackle these increasingly sophisticated threats alone”.
Government warns of inevitable cyber breach
The announcement comes a day after AI minister Kanishka Narayan warned that a major breach of Britain’s cyber defences was “inevitable”.
The minister called for closer cooperation between government, technology companies and security researchers, warning that increasingly autonomous AI systems posed growing risks to national security.
The threat has also prompted telecoms operators to share more intelligence rather than tackle cyber attacks independently.
In the US, eight major providers, including AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile, have established a cyber threat intelligence-sharing alliance following attacks on communications infrastructure.
The initiative is designed to help operators identify emerging threats and coordinate responses more quickly, particularly as AI reduces the time available to detect and contain attacks.
Jon James, chief executive of BT Business, said the company was responding to growing concerns among corporate customers.
“AI is transforming the cyber threat landscape at unprecedented speed, and our customers need protection that stays one step ahead”, he said.