Artificial intelligence (AI) has positioned itself as the standard-bearer of an unprecedented technological revolution. While it is a ubiquitous technological tool with an incredibly high potential in terms of digital platform development, business growth, and process optimization, it also carries significant risks. One risk being one we can already see: in a recent report, the World Economic Forum, indicates that AI-based misinformation will position itself as the main global risk of 2024.
The Risks Associated with Generative AI
Generative AI technology brings significant risks such as the creation of deepfakes and identity theft, to new vectors for cyber attack across organizations. These risks are magnified due to the expansive nature of AI, which allows for information manipulation on an unprecedented scale. What’s key to protecting the Internet, meaning public organizations and businesses, and the users of digital platforms, lies in the adoption of cybersecurity solutions from the start of AI adoption today.
How to Address These Risks?
The nature of generative AI, which can process and generate data on a massive scale and in innovative ways, requires the most comprehensive cybersecurity approach today, that is equally sophisticated, strict, and adaptable. This approach has to be holistic. Innovative solutions need to be capable of integrating diverse technological components into a cohesive, agile framework. The era of traditional infrastructures is giving way to a new paradigm that we call the connectivity cloud, which is revolutionising modern IT and cybersecurity, and becoming catalysts for growth and innovation. The focus on “Zero Trust” architectures and advanced threat detection within the AI enabled connectivity cloud improves data protection and mitigates the growing number of cyber risks.
The focus on “Zero Trust” mitigates cyber risks
The Zero Trust model is based on the principle of never trust, always verify. Thus, in environments where generative AI can be used to generate or manipulate sensitive information, it protects against potential external malicious actors by continuously and contextually verifying all access, users, and devices connected to a network.
In addition to the focus on Zero Trust, it is prudent to establish limits on the number of times any user can make requests to APIs. This not only protects corporate systems and networks against misuse of API keys but also against programming errors that could result in a vulnerability for the end user.
It is crucial to raise awareness across all audiences about the risks associated with generative AI. According to a recent Cloudflare survey, it seems that many managers do not know what a zero-trust architecture is all about – at least 80 percent of those surveyed are convinced of this. Ongoing education is key to adapting to an ever-evolving threat landscape. For example, being able to question and recognize phishing attempts that use AI-generated texts, and understanding the importance of not sharing sensitive information without the proper precautions.
It is crucial to raise awareness about the risks of generative AI
Though Generative AI carries endless possibilities, it can be leveraged by malicious actors, which forces all players in the equation to adopt a proactive role and adapt to the evolution of threats with the goal of creating safer digital environments. There is a large responsibility for organizations today to be adopting the Zero Trust cybersecurity models and tools that are needed to keep AI use across the organization secure from the start.
Area Vice President DACH at Cloudflare