Australia’s Security Radar: AI, Economic Crisis & Disinformation Top Public Concerns

A striking new survey from the Australian National University’s National Security College (NSC) reveals that Australians are increasingly worried about non‑traditional threats, placing artificial intelligence (AI), economic instability and disinformation ahead of many conventional security risks.

The survey conducted in November 2024 and July 2025 with over 12,000 participants, asked respondents to rate the seriousness of 15 potential threats to Australia’s future. The top concerns (combining “major” and “moderate” threat ratings) in July 2025 were:

• The use of AI to attack individuals and businesses, 77 % rated this as a serious threat.
• A severe economic crisis, 75 % expressed concern.
• Disruption to critical supplies due to overseas crises, 74 % concerned.
• Deliberate spread of false information (disinformation) to mislead the public, 73 % worried.
• Foreign interference in politics, economy or society, 72 % rated it a concern. 

Meanwhile, traditional security fears, such as a foreign military invasion ranked lower. Only 64 % of respondents saw that as a moderate to major threat.

Significantly, by mid‑2025, about half of Australians said they were “worried about Australia’s national security,” an increase of eight percentage points since late 2024.

The survey signals a clear evolution in public perceptions: security is no longer seen only in classic terms such as terrorism or large‑scale military threats. Instead, digital risks, economic stability, supply‑chain resilience and information integrity dominate concerns. For those in the security industry, from government planners to corporate risk managers this shift has several key implications:

• AI as a double-edged sword: The concern around AI reflects growing awareness that the same technologies enabling innovation can also be exploited, for cyber‑attacks, misinformation, financial fraud, or disruption. This underscores the need for robust governance, regulation, and cyber‑resilience frameworks.

• Economic & supply‑chain risk as national security issues: The fact that a severe economic downturn and disruption of critical supplies rated so highly suggests that national security strategies must integrate economic resilience and supply‑chain management more centrally.

• Disinformation & foreign interference as major threats: With nearly three-quarters of Australians alarmed by disinformation or foreign interference, the findings highlight the urgency for media literacy, stronger regulation of digital platforms, and coordinated counter‑information strategies.

• Broader security definition: The public’s security priorities suggest a need to broaden definitions of national security beyond military and defence to include economic security, cyber‑security, information integrity, and societal resilience.

What Experts Advise

According to the NSC’s head, Rory Medcalf, the survey reflects a “sound and responsive understanding of the worsening security landscape” among Australians.

In practical terms, this means:

• Government, regulators and corporate boards should prioritise AI governance and cyber‑resilience. This includes updating regulations, investing in secure infrastructure, conducting stress‑tests on supply‑chains, and enforcing data‑security standards.

• Businesses, especially those in critical infrastructure, finance, media, and logistics, must reevaluate risk models to account for newer threats like AI‑driven fraud, supply disruption, and reputation damage from misinformation.

• Society-wide efforts: digital literacy, media education, public‑awareness campaigns, and collaboration between public and private sectors to build collective resilience to disinformation and economic shocks.

The findings suggest that Australia’s next wave of security planning should widen its scope, integrating economic, digital and social dimensions as central to national resilience.