The Next Computer Virus May Not Be Code. It May Be an Idea.
The next computer virus may not need code. It may only need a convincing idea. As AI agents gain persistent memory, tools, autonomy, and the ability to communicate with one another, natural language itself becomes a cybersecurity attack surface. An agent does not need to “believe” a malicious idea—it only needs to adopt it, preserve it, act on it, and persuade another machine to do the same. The real threat is not artificial consciousness. It is unauthorized intent becoming executable behavior.