The National Intelligence Service (NIS) said Thursday it has issued a joint guidance on artificial intelligence (AI) supply chains together with six cybersecurity agencies from like-minded nations, including the United States, Japan and Australia. In the joint guidance, titled "Artificial intelligence and machine learning: Supply chain risks and mitigations," the NIS and partner agencies emphasize that AI systems should integrate security considerations from the design stage rather than treating security as something to be addressed only after deployment. It also outlines potential risks across six key components of the AI supply chain — AI training data, model, software, infrastructure, hardware and third-party services — while presenting recommended mitigation strategies for each area. According to the NIS, the guidance was prepared amid growing concerns that the increasing complexity of AI supply chains could introduce security vulnerabilities, including the possibility of hidden backdoors or malicious code embedded in systems. The NIS said it will continue cooperation with intern