Highlights
- As Artificial Intelligence advances at a rate more rapidly than ever, it has become an integral part of the modernization of defensive strategies and the improvement of overall security.
- Flipping the coin though reveals that this same tech can be utilized in a way that applies risk to infrastructure and to the general public.
- Google, as a major company in the field, has launched an initiative addressing these very terms; it is called the “Google AI Cyber Defense Initiative”.
Google AI is set out to explore a different role, far more crucial in Cyber Defense. Whether it be through the use of generative models, such as DALL-E, or through personal assistants, such as Gemini, Artificial Intelligence has been integrated into our very lives. These serve a plethora of functions, be it through image generation or for daily usage as an assistant, they are here to make our lives all the more easier.
AI in the field of National Security.
Potentially, Artificial intelligence could work to significantly enhance the abilities of various governments or defensive organizations. These enhancements could help with the anticipation of threats, allowing for the response or outright prevention of the said threat. One such way to achieve this is by allowing AI to analyze a vast amount of data. This in turn allows it to identify patterns and security risks. Cyber Defense in general, could also be improved by this logic, as AI can detect and respond to threats in real-time, or reduce the number of vulnerabilities present in a system.
Kent Walker, President of Global Affairs at Google & Alphabet, writes that there are three national security imperatives for the AI era. He wrote the following:
- Private-sector leadership in AI chips and infrastructure is absolutely critical. Government support is vital in order to keep the momentum going when it comes to the AI landscape.
- We need public sector leadership in technology procurement and deployment. Outdated procurement systems need to be streamlined to enable the adoption of AI, cloud, and other tech. Reforms are to be made to seize opportunities allowing the development of major digital services.
- Today’s environment calls for heightened public-private collaboration on Cyber Defense. Building on the existing efforts, a collaboration between industry and government must be achieved to raise Cyber Defense and disrupt threats.
Misuse of Artificial Intelligence.
A major risk factor when it comes to the misuse of the system is Generative AI technology. This technology has been known to be used for malicious activities such as the creation of wrongful information, automation of cyberattacks, and generation of false or harmful content. Many models that are readily available to the public can produce human-like text, images, or even realistic video content. Adversaries to Cyber Defense have been known to use AI to craft convincing phishing emails, fake news, and even misleading social media posts. Additionally, they can create malicious code for cyberattacks such as malware and ransomware.
An example of AI being weaponized is Deepfakes. Here, AI-generated video content is used to impersonate individuals, for the sole purpose of acquiring data or to spread misinformation. To combat the threats, Google Threat Intelligence Group (GTIG) is committed to tracking and subduing threats. They claim that “Rather than enabling disruptive change, generative AI allows threat actors to move faster and at a higher volume”. They reported that “Some malicious actors had unsuccessfully attempted to prompt Gemini on abusing Google products, such as advanced phishing techniques in Gmail, assistance coding a Chrome info stealer, and methods to bypass Google’s account creation verification methods”.
Google AI could strengthen digital security.
Google AI Cyber Defense Initiative, is an initiative that emphasizes the importance of collaboration in the cybersecurity ecosystem. Google recognizes the threat posed by actors and calls that combating them requires coordinated efforts across the industry and government. As AI threats are constantly evolving, it is imperative that defensive capabilities follow suit. In that regard, Google continues to invest in its secure, AI-ready network of global data centers, giving secure and reliable access to digital services. They have turned their new AI-powered tool, Magika, open source, aiding defenders through file type identification for the detection of malware.
With all the various advancements we could claim that the AI revolution is underway, and although the technology comes with its own risks, defenses have already been planned. Innovation requires industry security standards, and by proper deployment, our future is safe and secure, assisted by Artificial Intelligence.
