MI6 chief: we’ll be as fluent in Python as we are in Russian

Steven

MI6 chief: we’ll be as fluent in Python as we are in Russian

Summary

MI6 chief Blaise Metreweli used her first public address on 15 December at the service’s Thames-side headquarters to outline a technology-centred vision for the Secret Intelligence Service. She warned the UK now operates “in a space between peace and war” as artificial intelligence, biotechnology and quantum computing converge, creating both powerful tools and new vectors for conflict. Metreweli stressed that human judgement remains essential but said officers must become proficient with technology — “as comfortable with lines of code as we are with human sources, as fluent in Python as we are in multiple other languages.” She focused on Russian ‘grey zone’ tactics, called for society-wide measures to counter disinformation, and signalled recruitment will prioritise linguists, data scientists, engineers and technologists. She also pledged continued public engagement and pointed to initiatives such as the Silent Courier dark-web portal for secure informant contact.

Key Points

  1. Metreweli declared the UK operates in a “space between peace and war”, where advanced tech blurs traditional conflict boundaries.
  2. AI, biotechnology and quantum computing are converging to create novel threats and opportunities that intelligence services must confront.
  3. Russia was identified as the primary near-term threat, using cyberattacks, drones and propaganda in the grey zone below open warfare.
  4. MI6 will expect staff to master technology — including coding skills and data literacy — alongside classic tradecraft; Metreweli specifically mentioned becoming “as fluent in Python as we are in multiple other languages.”
  5. Despite tech emphasis, human judgement remains central: AI will augment, not replace, decision-making.
  6. Countering disinformation requires society-wide effort, from education of children to recognising manipulative algorithms.
  7. Recruitment and training will expand to include data scientists, engineers and technologists, while maintaining linguistic and human-source capabilities.
  8. Public engagement and secure communication tools (eg, the Silent Courier portal) will continue to be used to maintain openness and contact with informants.

Context and relevance

This speech signals a clear institutional shift: intelligence agencies are formally treating digital and algorithmic tools as core tradecraft. That matters for defence, cyber security, hiring and tech policy. For security professionals and technologists it indicates where investment and talent demand will grow; for policymakers it underscores the need to balance openness, oversight and operational secrecy. The emphasis on public literacy around disinformation also ties into broader democratic-resilience debates.

Why should I read this?

Because this isn’t just rhetoric — it’s the blueprint for how MI6 plans to hire, train and fight in the years ahead. If you work in security, tech hiring, policy or media, it’s worth five minutes: it tells you what skills will be hot, how the agency sees threats (hello, grey-zone Russia) and why society-wide digital literacy is suddenly a national-security issue.

Author style

Punchy. Metreweli’s remarks are framed as decisive and forward-looking — a wake-up call that intelligence work will be as much about code and data as about sources and languages. Read the detail if you care about where national security and tech policy are heading.

Source

Source: https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2025/12/16/mi6_chief_well_be_as/