Public Wary of AI-Powered Data Use by National Security Agencies, Study Finds

A new report released alongside the Centre for Emerging Technology and Security (CETaS) 2025 event sheds light on growing public unease around automated data processing in national security. Titled UK Public Attitudes to National Security Data Processing: Assessing Human and Machine Intrusion, the research reveals limited public awareness and rising concern over how surveillance technologies—especially AI—are shaping intelligence operations.

The study, conducted by CETaS in partnership with Savanta and Hopkins Van Mil, surveyed 3,554 adults and included insights from a 33-member citizens’ panel. While findings suggest that more people support than oppose data use by national security agencies, especially when it comes to sensitive datasets like medical records, significant concerns persist.

During a panel discussion, investigatory powers commissioner Brian Leveson, who chaired the session, addressed the implications of fast-paced technological change. “We are facing new and growing challenges,” he said. “Rapid technological developments, especially in AI [artificial intelligence], are transforming our public authorities.”

Leveson warned that AI is shifting how intelligence gathering and analysis is performed. “AI could soon underpin the investigatory cycle,” he noted. But the benefits also come with risks. “AI could enable investigations to cover far more individuals than was ever previously possible, which raises concerns abo

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