he head of MI6 has urged Russians indignant at Vladimir Putin’s battle in Ukraine to spy for the UK.

Sir Richard Moore advised them “our door is always open” and “we will work to bring the bloodshed to an end”.

He mentioned that whereas synthetic intelligence (AI) is getting used to assist goal the Kremlin’s battle machine, know-how won't ever exchange human brokers.

In a speech in Prague, Sir Richard mentioned: “There are many Russians today who are silently appalled by the sight of their armed forces pulverising Ukrainian cities, expelling innocent families from their homes and kidnapping thousands of children.

“They are watching in horror as their soldiers ravage a kindred country. They know in their hearts that Putin’s case for attacking a fellow Slavic nation is fraudulent, a miasma of lies and fantasy.”

Read More

He mentioned “many Russians are wrestling with the same dilemmas and the same tugs of conscience” as their predecessors did in 1968 when Soviet tanks crushed the Prague spring uprisings.

“I invite them to do what others have already done this past 18 months and join hands with us. Our door is always open,” Sir Richard mentioned.

“We will handle their offers of help with the discretion and professionalism for which my service is famed. Their secrets will always be safe with us.

“And together we will work to bring the bloodshed to an end.”

He mentioned Mr Putin is “clearly under pressure”, as demonstrated by the latest revolt by Yevgeny Prigozhin’s Wagner mercenaries.

Asked how far Mr Putin is ready to go, given his references to nuclear weapons, Sir Richard mentioned: “He really didn’t fight back against Prigozhin, he cut a deal to save his skin, using the good offices of the leader of Belarus.

“Even I can’t see inside Putin’s head, but … the only people who have been talking about escalation and nuclear weapons are Putin and a handful of henchmen around him.

“That is irresponsible, it’s reckless and it is designed to try and weaken our resolve in supporting Ukraine and it will not work.”

Sir Richard mentioned AI is getting used to disrupt the availability of weapons to Russia however machines won't exchange human spies.

“As AI trawls the ocean of open source, there will be ever greater value in landing, with a well-cast fly, the secrets that lie beyond the reach of its net,” he mentioned.

Human brokers “are never just passive collectors of information” and “sometimes they can influence decisions inside a government or terrorist group”.

But he mentioned know-how is transferring “with startling speed”.

“My teams are now using AI to augment, but not replace, their own judgement about how people might act in various situations,” he mentioned.

“They’re combining their skills with AI and bulk data to identify and disrupt the flow of weapons to Russia for use against Ukraine.”

But Sir Richard mentioned AI may additionally be utilized by hostile states “in damaging, reckless and unethical ways”.

With Rishi Sunak’s drive for the UK to play a lead function in AI regulation, Sir Richard supplied an olive department to China over the know-how.

“I remain hopeful that our common humanity and our shared interest in understanding the power of AI may yet lead to agreement on global co-ordination, on which our Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is leading the way,” he mentioned.

“China’s draft AI regulations emphasise the importance of veracity, accuracy, objectivity and diversity. I can only say we agree. Let’s make those fine words a reality, not a slogan.”