Security leaders in the UK are set to establish a new national center aimed at countering disinformation and deepfakes—realistic-looking but fake images or videos created using artificial intelligence—originating from hostile nations like Russia. Andy Burnham, the UK’s prime minister, emphasized that the government has a duty to "stem the poisonous tide" of misleading information that could harm the country’s interests. The National Centre for Information Defence will be responsible for detecting, attributing, and disrupting information attacks by foreign powers, many of which are made possible by AI. It will bring together intelligence agencies, law enforcement, and social media companies to ensure the UK has the necessary defenses against information warfare and to help communities identify and combat false narratives. Burnham highlighted the growing threat of insidious campaigns, many of which have been orchestrated by Russia, aiming to manipulate public sentiment and create a distorted view of the UK. He noted that such campaigns often target people who feel their lives are not improving, such as those struggling with the cost of living or young people not in education, training, or employment. These groups, he said, may be more vulnerable to foreign influence online, which further undermines societal stability. In a speech to the United Nations, Burnham warned that AI will amplify these threats, and the UK has been too passive in addressing them for too long. In response to concerns raised by US President Donald Trump, who suggested that the UK’s stance on Russia was too harsh, Downing Street reaffirmed its position that Russia’s actions—whether through hybrid attacks or rhetoric—are "egregious and unacceptable." The UK remains united with its allies in defending against such threats and will continue to support Ukraine despite Russia’s aggression. Burnham specifically cited Russia’s annual spending of around £1.3 billion on information manipulation, including the use of bots, fake websites, and forged branding of British organizations, as evidence of the scale of the challenge. The UK plans to share its experiences with other nations facing similar threats, such as Moldova, which it has helped protect from Russian interference in elections. As more European countries face these challenges, Burnham said the UK is ready to collaborate on solutions to strengthen collective security and resilience. The new center will not only defend the UK but also help other nations build their own defenses against the growing threat of information warfare.