Polish Deputy Prime Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski has called for Europe to develop a deterrence system similar to the Cold War-era doctrine of mutually assured destruction to counter AI-powered warfare. Gawkowski, who oversees Poland's Ministry for Digital Affairs, described the technology as a "force multiplier" that necessitates a sweeping rethink of the continent's common security.
Gawkowski estimated that the number of cyberattacks in Poland will increase tenfold by 2027 as frontier large language models become more sophisticated and accessible. He argued that these incidents are no longer merely the work of cybercriminals but are being driven by state adversaries. Gawkowski characterized the current situation as a "digital war in Europe," noting that while some countries like Poland are already on the front line, others will eventually face similar threats.
The minister warned that AI systems could be used to hack critical infrastructure, potentially plunging nations into complete paralysis. He described recent cyberattacks targeting dozens of European supermarkets—which disrupted refrigeration and caused millions in losses—as a "prelude" to future havoc. Gawkowski argued that the scale of these attacks should be treated as modern acts of war rather than "hybrid warfare," a term used by NATO allies to avoid triggering Article 5.
