IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva has called for stronger international cooperation and investment in cybersecurity as increasingly capable AI systems create new opportunities and risks for the global financial sector. Speaking in Brussels, she highlighted the need for greater cyber resilience and preparedness to address potential threats to interconnected financial systems.
International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva has called for greater international cooperation to address cybersecurity risks associated with advanced AI systems, warning that rapidly evolving AI capabilities could pose challenges for the global financial system if misused.
Speaking to journalists in Brussels, Georgieva said new AI models are increasing the ability to identify cybersecurity vulnerabilities at a scale previously unavailable. She noted that these capabilities can support efforts to strengthen cyber defences by helping organisations detect and address weaknesses more quickly.
At the same time, Georgieva said the same capabilities could be misused by malicious actors. Referring to recent developments in advanced AI systems, she said that frontier models can be used positively to identify cybersecurity vulnerabilities but that, ‘in the wrong hands,’ those capabilities could be directed against financial infrastructure.
According to Georgieva, stronger cooperation will be necessary across countries and sectors to address these risks. She highlighted the importance of collaboration between advanced and developing economies, as well as between public institutions and private-sector actors responsible for critical digital infrastructure.
She also pointed to the interconnected nature of the global financial system, arguing that vulnerabilities in one jurisdiction can have wider implications. Because financial systems are closely linked across borders, weaknesses in cybersecurity protections may create risks beyond the countries where they originate.
In addition to cooperation, Georgieva stressed the importance of investing in cyber resilience. She said governments should consider cybersecurity requirements when planning public spending and ensure that sufficient resources are available to strengthen defences against evolving threats.
Georgieva also referred to broader risks associated with rapid AI adoption, including the potential for market volatility driven to changing expectations for AI technologies. She described such risks as low-probability but potentially high-impact events.
The IMF has previously highlighted the economic implications of AI, including its potential effects on labour markets and productivity. Georgieva has argued that governments should prepare for significant technological change while ensuring that the benefits of AI are broadly shared.
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