Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer only the stuff of science fiction. It’s here, and it has a tangible presence in our world. Businesses in every sector have embraced this technology, leveraging AI to find sophisticated solutions to their business needs. So, let’s explore how AI is changing cybersecurity.
The recent increase in remote work has forced companies to rethink and enhance their digital strategies. They adopted new technological tools to remain productive, effective, and lucrative. One of these tools is artificial intelligence. It has helped them to develop and transform to keep up with a market that is changing quickly.
However, along with its advantages, artificial intelligence also poses a serious risk, particularly in the area of cybersecurity. Since people spend so much time on the internet, companies need to maintain a significant portion of their assets and services online as well. Unfortunately, that makes them more vulnerable to cyberattacks.
According to recent research, cyberattacks escalated significantly in 2021, rising 15.1% on average from the previous year. Yet barely 50% of American companies have established a formal cybersecurity plan. Savvy businesses must understand how AI is changing cybersecurity, both positively and negatively, if they want to protect their company and guarantee its long-term success and viability.
Artificial intelligence focuses on creating smart machines that can think like people and do jobs that usually need human intelligence. Responsive AI systems can execute tasks in reaction to real events and stimuli. They actually learn and remember information using historical data when modeling to predict future events. This enables a computer or robot to make informed decisions.
Most relevantly, artificial intelligence has revolutionized what cybersecurity means for businesses of all sizes. We live in a world where technology is continuously changing and hackers are becoming more intelligent, but AI can help companies predict threats, monitor for systems issues, and help to mitigate them before they become active problems. This helps companies remain productive and adaptable. Since AI can manage considerably larger data sets than a human brain, it operationalizes cybersecurity on a much more powerful scale.
It’s clear that security teams benefit from adopting artificial intelligence in cybersecurity. AI automates a lot of tedious work, allowing employees to focus on other duties and contribute to the bottom line with more specialized skills.
Through deep learning, artificial intelligence enhances cybersecurity by analyzing large data sets to identify weak spots. Machines can extract insights more quickly, and companies can use that knowledge to both improve security, as well as their customer service and product.
A recent survey showed that 60% of businesses believe that artificial intelligence improves accuracy and efficiency in cybersecurity. Although some level of human intervention in cybersecurity will always be necessary, artificial intelligence allows companies to be more flexible and considerably lower their margin of error. In real-time, businesses can benefit from AI’s advanced ability to prioritize risk and engage in behavioral analysis.
Unfortunately, hackers can use the same technology to exploit a company’s resources, so organizations need to be even smarter. It’s a growing threat, as studies have shown that more than 80% of businesses confronted a cloud-related security incident over the last year. Malicious actors can employ AI and machine learning to constantly learn and find ways to strengthen and advance their malware. Still, this makes it difficult to avoid a data breach.
In addition to the threat that hackers pose, artificial intelligence is also costly, requiring a sizeable financial commitment. Not to mention, companies need to invest other significant company resources, like staff time and effort. An AI system requires expensive maintenance.
On the flip side, investing in AI-based cybersecurity can also save companies money, cutting down on the costs of a data breach. Right now, the average cost of a data breach in America sits around $9.44 million, with higher numbers for industries like healthcare.
World events serve as ongoing reminders that businesses need to stay vigilant and make constant efforts to ensure their data is secure. For example, cyberattacks increasingly play an integral role in digital warfare — as we explored in our recent article, Staying Secure During the Cybersecurity Affects of the War in Ukraine.
That’s why when we look at the future of cybersecurity, artificial intelligence will continue to grow as a critical foundational element to its development. To comply with safety standards, companies will need to evolve and adopt various types of AI into their security systems. Tech experts are continuously innovating to deliver more cutting-technology, and as a result, constantly elevating industry best practices.
Improving your business security is a complex journey. You should not go it alone. We are able to help you execute a strategic defense against threats and improve your security posture.
Connect with us today to help you understand your current state of security and to assist you with your IT challenges.