# AI is Transforming how Intelligence Agencies Identify and Assess Risks

**Published:** Oct 16, 2026  
**Category:** interview

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[Video: https://fast.wistia.com/embed/medias/e5i6tjlw5r]

In this interview filmed at the AUSA event in Washington DC, McDaniel Wicker of Babel Street discusses the company's role as a risk intelligence firm specializing in open source intelligence (OSINT). Wicker explains how Babel Street supercharges human investigators by integrating agentic AI with high-quality, publicly available data rather than replacing them. The discussion covers the company's methods for global data collection, their commitment to respecting privacy laws and regimes, and their international operational ethos. Wicker highlights the future focus of Babel Street, which includes developing customizable AI agents that replicate senior analyst expertise and enabling agent-to-agent communication within different systems.