Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping the business landscape, driving innovation, optimizing operations and generating growth. Governments and companies are taking advantage of its immense potential not only to improve the customer experience, but also to boost their competitiveness. However, this technological acceleration, marked by developments such as GenAI, simultaneously introduces a new layer of security challenges that must be proactively managed to protect investments and ensure operational continuity.
In fact, the 93% of organizations recognizes that its current security strategies need to be significantly improved. This urgency is magnified by the fact that the attack surface of organizations has grown by approximately 1000% in the last decade, reflecting the complexity of digital environments.
According to Dell Technologies, the lasting success of AI will depend on three key interconnected imperatives: managing the risks arising from its use, countering threats that are enhanced by AI itself, and finally, leveraging AI as a powerful tool to strengthen defensive cybersecurity.
Govern big data usage
The first imperative is the management of the risks inherent in the use of AI. AI is based on the use of massive data, a particularly sensitive aspect in regions such as EMEA, where there are very strict protection regulations, including DORA, NIS2, Cyber Resilience Act, and AI Act. Inappropriate data management can lead to serious regulatory breaches, leaks, and reputational damage.
To mitigate these risks, it remains crucial to apply basic security principles, such as least privilege access, strong authentication, and constant monitoring. However, the complexity of AI requires that security teams be trained in its nuances. Furthermore, establishing a strong governance framework is essential, integrating ethical, security and organizational culture perspectives to achieve a balance between innovation, compliance and protection.
The lasting success of AI will depend on three key interconnected imperatives: managing the risks arising from its use, countering threats that are enhanced by AI itself, and finally, leveraging AI as a powerful tool to strengthen defensive cybersecurity.
The need for regulation is widely recognized, since the 83% of respondents agrees that AI regulations are important right now to maximize the technology’s potential for future generations. Likewise, the 95% of respondents reported that his company faces obstacles in data management, underscoring the underlying challenge.
Cybersecurity at machine speed
The second imperative focuses on countering threats powered by artificial intelligence. Attackers have embraced AI, using it to perfect complex attacks such as ransomware, exploits zero-day or denial of service (DDoS) attacks. The ENISA 2024 report reveals the magnitude of the problem, indicating that cyberattacks phishing powered by AI grew by 35% during the last year. Fraud, social engineering and deepfakes have become noticeably more complex and effective due to these tools.
Faced with this escalation, it is essential that organizations implement security tools also based on AI, automate responses and train employees to recognize these sophisticated threats. Preparing for cyberattacks that operate at machine speed is key, and the future of cyber defense could be marked by a scenario of AI facing off against AI in the defensive sphere.
AI: defensive ally
The third imperative, and perhaps the most promising, is use AI to strengthen security. AI is a powerful ally in cyber defense. A study by Dell Technologies, the Innovation Index 2024, highlights that the 72% of organizations consider AI essential for their cybersecurityand the 65% are already implementing it.
Organizations can leverage AI to improve security through multiple use cases:
– Secure software development
AI can improve coding processes by detecting weaknesses at early stages, reducing vulnerabilities.
– Advanced threat prediction
AI algorithms have the ability to identify complex patterns and anticipate possible attack paths, enabling proactive risk allocation.
– Real time detection
By processing large volumes of data simultaneously, AI distinguishes real threats from the “noise” with unprecedented precision.
– Automated incident response
AI tools can accelerate containment and mitigation after an intrusion, dramatically reducing response times.
– Personalized training for employees
AI-powered systems offer tailored security training, encouraging vigilance and minimizing the human errors that frequently lead to breaches.
Although AI introduces new risks, it is not necessary to redesign the entire security infrastructure. The key is to strengthen current defenses, applying zero trust principles and integrating security from the design stage, while adapting tools with specific controls for AI, such as model audits and input and output traceability.
