Managing Cyber Security in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

Generative AI is promising to be the most disruptive technology since the internet. According to Accenture, 44 per cent of working hours in the United States fall within the scope of automation or augmentation with this technology. However, security is a major consideration impacting the adoption or implementation of generative AI, and CEOs are rightly concerned. While generative AI is democratizing access and driving productivity, it is also leading to insecure deployments, security breaches, and AI-powered threats such as deepfakes. To fully realize competitive gains, businesses must elevate their cybersecurity strategies to address gaps and vulnerabilities—both within and outside their organizations. As generative AI intensifies the competition for labour productivity, it is also opening new vulnerabilities that can be exploited by bad actors, including insecure deployment of generative AI, excessive accessibility, and lax experimentation. Companies can employ the following strategies to bolster their cyber-resilience: 1) modernize their security setup at the same pace as business innovation; 2) heighten employees’ awareness of the potential risks associated with generative AI; and 3) innovate from a trusted foundation by securing the underlying cloud foundation and implementing strict controls.