Some Asia-Pacific firms see AI as a security threat
Two in every five or 41 percent of companies based in the Asia-Pacific region are worried about artificial intelligence (AI) being a bigger cybersecurity threat rather than an opportunity to make operations more efficient, according to a study commissioned by technology firm Tenable.
The study was conducted by advisory firm Forrester Consulting in October 2023 and covered 600 IT decision makers from across the region, including ones who are based in the Philippines.
Results show that 51 percent of the respondents agreed that AI could make phishing attacks more sophisticated.
Phishing is a cyberattack whereby hackers trick unsuspecting victims into providing sensitive information.
This is usually launched via emails and mobile messages embedded with suspicious links that lead to fake websites where the victims will be asked to input personal information.
With the help of AI tools, these email or text scams can appear legitimate, making them more deceiving in the eyes of the recipients.
Tenable, in relation to this, found that 56 percent of the surveyed organizations in the region were concerned about the potential misuse of AI tools.
Still, the company noted that AI could beef up cybersecurity measures by automating the process of detecting potential threat incidents.
“By leveraging [AI tools] for threat detection and automated responses, security teams can create a more resilient cybersecurity infrastructure that is better equipped to handle the evolving threat landscape,” said Nigel Ng, Tenable senior vice president for Asia Pacific and Japan.
In the Philippines, a study by global advisory firm Deloitte noted that 62 percent of surveyed business and technology leaders expressed “excitement” over the use of AI.
But some respondents identified lack of technical talent and skills as the “biggest barrier” to adoption of AI.
