The Trump administration's radical changes to United States fiscal policy, foreign relations, and global strategy--combined with mass firings across the federal government--have created uncertainty around US cybersecurity priorities that was on display this week at two of the country's most prominent digital security conferences in Las Vegas. "We are not retreating, we're advancing in a new direction," Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency chief information officer Robert Costello said on Thursday during a critical infrastructure defense panel at Black Hat. As in other parts of the federal government, the Trump administration has been combing intelligence and cybersecurity agencies to remove officials seen as disloyal to its agenda. Alongside these shifts, the White House has also been hostile to former US cybersecurity officials. In April, for example, Trump specifically directed all departments and agencies to revoke the security clearance of former CISA director Chris Krebs.

Fox News correspondent Gillian Turner has the latest on the president's focus amid calls for an impeachment inquiry on "Special Report." The National Security Agency (NSA) will launch a new artificial intelligence security center to both protect U.S. AI systems and defend against external threats. The new security center launches as the U.S. government has increased its use of algorithms and AI systems in defense and intelligence and is seeking to safeguard systems from theft or sabotage. Army Gen. Paul Nakasone, NSA director, told the Associated Press that the new center could be incorporated into the NSA's existing Cybersecurity Collaboration Center, which works with the private sector and internal partners to strengthen U.S. defenses from near-peer rivals such as China and Russia. Christopher Alexander, the chief analytics officer of Pioneer Development Group, told Fox News Digital such a center is "desperately needed for intelligence analysis and is crucial for national security."

The National Security Agency (NSA) has launched a dedicated artificial intelligence security center. This apparently follows the increased government use of algorithms and AI systems, related to defense and intelligent systems. The security center aims to protect these systems from theft and sabotage, as well as safeguard the country from external AI-based threats. The NSA's outgoing director, General Paul Nakasone, says the division will operate within the existing Cybersecurity Collaboration Center. This entity works with private industry and international partners to protect the US from cyberattacks from China, Russia and other countries with active malware and hacking campaigns.

The National Security Agency (NSA) is starting a dedicated artificial intelligence security center, as reported by AP. This move comes after the government has begun to increasingly rely on AI, integrating multiple algorithms into defense and intelligence systems. The security center will work to protect these systems from theft and sabotage, in addition to safeguarding the country from external AI-based threats. The NSA's recent move toward AI security was announced Thursday by outgoing director General Paul Nakasone. He says that the division will operate underneath the umbrella of the pre-existing Cybersecurity Collaboration Center.

The United States National Security Agency (NSA) has announced the creation of an artificial intelligence security centre that will oversee the development and integration of AI capabilities within US defence and intelligence services. Director of the NSA and US Cyber Command, General Paul Nakasone, said on Thursday that US officials were aware of the increasing importance of AI in the national security landscape and the opening of the new centre was part of steps to "shape the future" of AI technology in the security, defence and intelligence sectors. "We maintain an advantage in AI in the United States today. That AI advantage should not be taken for granted," Nakasone said at the National Press Club in Washington, DC, where he spoke about the opening of the centre and the growing threat that China posed. The AI centre will be incorporated into the NSA's current Cybersecurity Collaboration Center, Nakasone said, where it will become the focal point for "promoting the secure adoption of new AI capabilities across the national security enterprise and the defence industry base".

The Defense Department's cyber warriors shouldn't be too concerned about artificial intelligence taking their jobs, according to their commander. Instead, U.S. Cyber Command is looking for troops able to wield AI like a weapon. During a budget hearing Wednesday held by the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Intelligence and Emerging Threats and Capabilities, Rep. Anthony Brown, R-Md., asked the Pentagon's cyber leadership whether AI could help reduce the demand for cyber talent. "AI and machine learning certainly has a place as we look at some of the activities that we are doing day in and day out," CYBERCOM Commander Gen. Paul Nakasone told the subcommittee. "But I would offer, the people that make AI go, the people who make sure that our algorithms are right for machine learning, they're the folks that I'm most focused on." Nakasone referred to what he called the "10x or 20x folks" that can utilize these advanced systems as a multiplier for the work being done by the command's 133 Cyber Mission Force teams, which includes "amplify[ing] military lethality and effectiveness," according to the Pentagon's Defend Forward strategy released in September.

Japan's former Olympics minister said Thursday it would be difficult to introduce daylight saving time ahead of the 2020 Games in Tokyo, a move that has been discussed as a way to mitigate the nation's scorching heat during the sporting event. "A part of me still wants to do this, but the reality is it's a difficult timeline -- especially when you think about issues around computer systems," said Toshiaki Endo, former minister and senior Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker, to reporters after the party's first meeting on the measure at its headquarters in Tokyo. Endo also currently serves as a vice president of the Tokyo Organising Committee for the games. The ruling party's lawmakers gathered for a study session on the possibility of introducing daylight savings time after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe gave instructions last month to examine its pros and cons. Fast-forwarding the clock has been seen by some as a way for Japan to combat its sultry midsummer weather.

Roundup Your weekly dose of tidbits from the AI world, beyond everything we've already covered, begins with a senate committee hearing where a US lieutenant general, currently a nominee for the role of the director of the NSA, speaking about his concerns around the technology. And ends with a CEO of a Chinese AI startup demonstrating how AI can be used to perform a faceswap on Trump and Obama. Lieutenant General Paul Nakasone, currently the commander of the United States Army Cyber Command, was quizzed by Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) about his thoughts on AI. The Senate Committee on Armed Services was considering the nomination of Nakasone for the role of director of the NSA, as well as Dr Brent Park to be deputy administrator for Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation for the National Nuclear Security Administration, and Anne White to be assistant secretary of energy for environmental management for the department of energy. Senator Cruz brought up the idea of poisoning systems with adversarial examples, something that was discussed during the first congressional hearing on AI he chaired last year.

The Army general likely to be tapped to head U.S. CYBERCOM and the NSA has some big plans for deploying cyber forces and using artificial intelligence in information attacks. Lt. Gen. Paul Nakasone, who currently leads U.S. Army CYBERCOM, is expected to nominated in the next few months to replace Adm. Michael Rogers, as first reported by The Cipher Brief (and confirmed by the Washington Post and a Pentagon source of our own). But caution is in order: the rumor mill says several other contenders are in the running, including Army Lt. Gen. William Mayville. Neither CYBERCOM nor the Pentagon would comment about the potential nomination. UPDATE: As @TheCipherBrief reported, Lt. Gen. Paul Nakasone is expected to be Trump's nominee.

The Army general likely to be tapped to head U.S. Cyber Command and the NSA has some big plans for deploying cyber forces and using artificial intelligence in information attacks. Lt. Gen. Paul Nakasone, who currently leads U.S. Army Cyber Command, is expected to nominated in the next few months to replace Adm. Michael Rogers, as first reported by The Cipher Brief (and confirmed by the Washington Post and a Pentagon source of our own). But caution is in order: the rumor mill says several other contenders are in the running, including Army Lt. Gen. William Mayville. Neither Cyber Command nor the Pentagon would comment about the potential nomination. UPDATE: As @TheCipherBrief reported, Lt. Gen. Paul Nakasone is expected to be Trump's nominee.