AI-driven software security could undermine law enforcement’s growing reliance on hacking to access encrypted devices and data

The article argues that U.S. law enforcement and intelligence agencies have adapted to encrypted communications by relying increasingly on device hacking and software vulnerabilities. It warns that AI-assisted coding and security tools could make exploitable bugs harder to find, pushing agencies toward a new going dark crisis.

If AI meaningfully improves software quality, it could shift the surveillance debate away from encryption backdoors and toward governments’ dependence on offensive cyber capabilities. The trend highlights a tension between stronger computer security for the public and reduced investigative access for state agencies.