Day: April 2, 2026

#CIA,  #FBI, and  #Counterintelligence Review on X
AI’s Impact on Spycraft and Trust  gemini.google.com/share/0af8…
GS:  google.com/search?num=10&new…
Gemini: “AI could erode confidence in digital communications and spur human spying tradecraft.” – True or False? True.
The statement is accurate and reflects the findings of a recent analysis highlighted by cybersecurity reporter David DiMolfetta.
Summary of the Article and Discussion
The discussion stems from an article published in the CIA-backed academic journal Studies in Intelligence by Thomas Mulligan, a RAND Corporation researcher and former CIA officer. It challenges the common assumption that advanced artificial intelligence will replace human intelligence (HUMINT) with purely technical collection methods.

Here are the key takeaways from the analysis:

The Erosion of Digital Trust: While AI makes intelligence gathering faster and more scalable, it is also being used to create highly convincing deepfakes and fabricated messages. This introduces a significant amount of “noise” into digital channels, making it increasingly difficult to distinguish between an authentic digital signal and a synthetic, AI-generated deception.
The Vulnerability of Electronic Communication: Because digital mediums (like text messages and video calls) can be easily manipulated by AI, intelligence officers can no longer blindly trust the data transmitted through them. An electronic plea for help from an informant, for instance, could easily be an AI-generated trap or scam.
The Resurgence of “Old-School” Spycraft: Because electronic communications are becoming harder to trust, the intelligence community may be forced to revert to some of the world’s oldest espionage tactics. Traditional human tradecraft—such as dead drops (exchanging items in a secret location without meeting), brush passes (quickly passing materials in public), and face-to-face meetings—are likely to see a major comeback.
The Human Element: Ultimately, physical, non-electronic methods allow intelligence officers to securely receive information while independently verifying that it came from a real, specific human being. Furthermore, the core of human intelligence relies on persuasion, stress-management, and convincing sources to do dangerous things—highly nuanced skills that an AI cannot replicate in the physical world.

In short, the very technology designed to modernize intelligence gathering is ironically pushing spies back toward traditional, in-person tradecraft to ensure the authenticity of their information.

Pic.: Old-school spycraft could make a comeback as AI undermines trust – Nextgov/FCW
nextgov.com/artificial-intel…

— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) Apr 2, 2026