While generative AI has revolutionized industries and transformed lives, its benefits must be weighed against potential drawbacks. Can we truly say that the safety advantages of generative AI outweigh the harms when cyber attacks, privacy invasions, and job displacement lurk in the shadows? According to a recent report by CrowdStrike, nearly four in ten (39%) safety professionals believe that the benefits of their work significantly exceed the challenges they face.
In 2024, CrowdStrike conducted a survey of 1,022 security experts and professionals across the United States, Asia-Pacific, Europe, Middle East, and Africa regions. Cybersecurity experts are intimately grappling with the complexities surrounding AI. While a majority (64%) of respondents have either purchased tools for work or are researching their options, a significant portion remain hesitant: 32% are still exploring alternatives, and only 6% are currently utilizing them effectively.
Researchers investigating safety concerns related to generative artificial intelligence (AI) seek insights into the algorithms’ decision-making processes and potential biases, as well as identifying vulnerabilities that could be exploited by malicious actors.
In keeping with the report:
- While top-ranked motivations for embracing generative AI include addressing skills gaps, meeting business demands, and countering cyber threats aren’t the primary drivers – it’s ultimately improving the ability to respond and counteract cyberattacks effectively?
- While AI may not necessarily pique the interest of every cybersecurity professional, its potential applications in this field are undeniably significant. To mitigate risks, they require generative AI seamlessly integrated with robust safety expertise.
- A significant proportion (40%) of respondents perceived the benefits of generative AI as “comparable” to its risks. Conversely, a notable minority (26%) believed the advantages do not justify the potential drawbacks, while those in between (39%) thought the rewards outweighed the dangers.
“Safety experts seek to leverage GenAI’s capabilities within a comprehensive platform, amplifying the value of existing tools, enhancing analyst proficiency, streamlining onboarding processes, and eliminating the complexity associated with integrating novel features.”
Measuring ROI remains a persistent challenge for companies embracing generative AI-driven products. Amongst CrowdStrike’s respondents, quantifying ROI emerged as the top financial concern. Two primary concerns that have hindered widespread adoption of AI technologies are the prohibitively high cost of licensing and the complexity of pricing models.
CrowdStrike categorizes AI return on investment (ROI) evaluation methods into four tiers of importance, ranking them by their impact.
- Cost savings from streamlined operations and innovative safety measures account for 31%.
- Lowered safety incidents (30%).
- Significant reductions in administrative burdens for managing safety instruments, resulting in 26% more efficient use of resources.
- Faster coaching cycles at competitive pricing (13% decrease).
By integrating AI into a existing platform rather than purchasing a standalone AI product, companies may realize “incremental financial savings tied to comprehensive platform consolidation initiatives,” said CrowdStrike.
Can generative AI introduce more safety issues than it solves, potentially exacerbating existing risks and creating new ones that are difficult to predict or mitigate?
Concurrently, robust measures must be taken to secure the very foundation of artificial intelligence – its own generation capabilities. A recent CrowdStrike survey found that safety professionals are most concerned about the public disclosure of Large Language Models (LLMs) powering AI products, as well as attacks targeting generative AI tools.
Different considerations included:
- The absence of robust guardrails and controls within generative AI tools poses a significant concern.
- AI hallucinations.
- Lack of transparent regulations governing the utilization of generative artificial intelligence.
Approximately nine out of every ten participants reported that their organizations will implement or develop safety protocols for governing generative artificial intelligence within the next year.
Organizations can effectively harness the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to bolster their defenses against increasingly sophisticated cyber threats. By integrating AI-powered solutions into their security infrastructure, businesses can gain a decisive edge in detecting and responding to potential attacks before they cause harm. Here are some ways organizations can leverage AI to guard against cyber threats:
Generative AI can be leveraged to facilitate brainstorming, analysis, and evaluation, yet it’s crucial to verify its output through independent means. With generative AI’s advanced capabilities, it effortlessly aggregates data from varied sources into a single, streamlined interface, significantly reducing the time required to analyze and respond to incidents across multiple formats. Several automated safety platforms offer advanced AI-powered tools that mimic human intelligence, much like Microsoft’s innovative technologies.
by way of:
- Risk detection and evaluation.
- Automated incident response.
- detection.
- Enhanced safety analytics.
- Artificial information for coaching.
Regardless of their motivations, organisations should consider security and privacy safeguards as an essential aspect of any generative AI acquisition. Implementing such measures enables sensitive data protection, adapts to regulatory requirements, and minimizes risks comparable to those posed by unauthorized access or misuse of confidential information? Without proper safeguards, artificial intelligence instruments can inadvertently expose vulnerabilities, produce harmful outputs, or breach privacy regulations, thereby entailing financial, legal, and reputational damage.
