In an era where artificial intelligence (AI) continues to reshape industries and redefine human capabilities, there looms a growing concern about the cybersecurity risks it presents. While AI offers unparalleled advancements and transformative potential, its very nature poses a dual threat: it can serve as a powerful tool to bolster cyber defenses, yet simultaneously introduces new vulnerabilities and dangers.
That paragraph (above) was written by ChatGPT—a new AI text-generation tool—when given this prompt: “Write the first paragraph of an article about the cybersecurity dangers of AI.” The world is buzzing with the possibilities and dangers of AI right now and, as that paragraph demonstrates, AI is a powerful tool. But what do you, as a business, need to know about AI? Here are three vital issues to consider:
- Data Privacy. A Dataconomy article from earlier this year points out that AI systems process large amounts of personal user data and, as they do so, “there is a risk that this information could be mishandled, either through intentional breaches or accidental leaks.” A recent article on MSN.com revealed that chat text entered into websites like OpenAI’s ChatGPT will be shared with a “select group of trusted service providers,” without accompanying information about who those providers may be. Businesses can make sure customers know about data privacy risks and ensure that any personal data shared with them is fully secure.
- Cybercrime: When AI is taught to act maliciously. When the latest version of ChatGPT was introduced, users quickly started testing its limits. Although its creator, OpenAI, put in safeguards to keep ChatGPT from giving people information they shouldn’t be able to access, users quickly found holes in the armor. The “grandma exploit” allowed one user to get a recipe for napalm. At an event later this summer, hackers will test the system to see how much harm ChatGPT can do. The fear—and the real possibility—is that cybercriminals will find ways to harness the power of AI for phishing, malware, ransomware, and other types of cyberattacks. The need for businesses to have tight network cybersecurity solutions in place has never been more important, for both your company and your customers.
- The future of AI is uncertain, but it not necessarily all doom and gloom. AI can also enhance cybersecurity for you and your customers, and businesses would be wise to learn about AI’s upsides. A recent IBM report discusses the potential for AI to process far more information about cybersecurity threats, malware, and possible attacks that humans can: “Curating threat intelligence from millions of research papers, blogs and news stories, AI technologies… provide rapid insights to cut through the noise of daily alerts, drastically reducing response times.” Used properly, AI can help make you and your customers safer.
As AI tools like ChatGPT become more powerful and garner more attention from the media, your customers will have questions about what AI means for our constantly connected lives. Businesses who understand the benefits and risks of AI will be far better prepared to meet the needs of customers, address the fears and challenges that are sure to come, and seize the opportunity that technological advances in AI will present.
