Artificial Intelligence will increase the risks in cybersecurity

Cybersecurity risks are likely to increase as a result of innovative Artificial Intelligence, according to a new UK government report on Frontier AI (2023).

The Safety and Security Risks of Generative Artificial Intelligence to 2025 report says, that the technology will enable the creation of ”faster-paced, more effective and larger-scale cyber-intrusion via tailored phishing methods or replicating malware”. The report does however not see that hacking will become fully automated by 2025. (HM Government.)

Digital risks such as cyberattacks, online fraud and impersonation are the most likely security threats to emerge because of AI according to the report, and these will have a bigger impact than other threats. Overall, the report sees generative AI as more likely to strengthen existing risks rather than create completely new threats in the coming years. The positive perspective is, that the report also says that generative AI will improve existing defenses against cyber threats. (HM Government.)

The report follows efforts by several international organizations to advance inclusive AI governing frameworks. For example, the World Economic Forum launched the AI Governance Alliance (WEF 2023) to provide guidance on the responsible design, development and deployment of Artificial Intelligence systems. The United Nations also established a global advisory panel to report on the international governance of AI (Euronews Next 2023).

References

Frontier AI 2023. Frontier AI: capabilities and risks – discussion paper. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/frontier-ai-capabilities-and-risks-discussion-paper. Accessed 8th January 2024.

HM Government. Safety and Security Risks of Generative Artificial Intelligence to 2025. Available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/653932db80884d0013f71b15/generative-ai-safety-security-risks-2025-annex-b.pdf. Accessed 8th January 2024.

WEF 2023. AI Governance Alliance. Available at: https://initiatives.weforum.org/ai-governance-alliance/home. Accessed 8th January 2024.

Euronews Next 2023. UN appoints panel to advise on international governance of AI, including risks and opportunities. Available at: https://www.euronews.com/next/2023/10/27/un-appoints-panel-to-advise-on-international-governance-of-ai-including-risks-and-opportun#:~:text=UN%20Secretary%2DGeneral%20Ant%C3%B3nio%20Guterres,%2C%20challenges%2C%20and%20key%20opportunities. Accessed 8th January 2024.

Tom Tuunainen
R&D Developer
Centria University of Applied Sciences
Tel. +358 40 681 7207