How To Stay Protected In The Era Of AI & Personalised Attacks? Here’s What You Can Do

Fostering collaboration between industry stakeholders and those who provide solutions to combat these threats with technology can help build trust and transparency. 

AI is a 'Gray Rhino'. Its upside is easier to predict than its downside.  ( Image Source :Getty )

By Amit Relan

The last few years have been revolutionary for the digital realm. New creative and innovative opportunities have opened up. While artificial intelligence enhances efficiency and personalised experience, it has also led to the rise of sophisticated personalised attacks and digital threats. Governments across the globe are collaborating and monitoring this closely and looking to devise a set of laws to govern AI use and applications. But the pace of AI development is far beyond anyone's expectations. Possibilities are limitless, but it has its set of challenges. 

Rise in personalised attacks

The recent case of actress Rashmika Mandanna's deepfake has led to a massive uproar. Personalised attacks on celebrities, politicians, and business owners not just affect the individual but also the brands associated. Creative, ambitious cyber criminals with access to the latest technology have started to focus on more profitable targets like corporations, institutions, and individuals. Many of which are ill-prepared to defend against this threat.

According to The Business Threat, Inaugural Deepfakes in Business Survey, 2021 Companies are slow to act. 

• 25 per cent Planning to take steps 
• 29 per cent Have taken steps 
• 46 per cent have not taken steps/ have no plan 

Many corporate decision-makers have limited understanding of deepfakes and other AI-driven threats Most leaders don’t yet recognise that manipulated content is already a problem rather than an emerging or an eventual one and it will affect virtually every industry.  Many don’t yet believe that these threats are significant business risks. As technology is improving at a breathtaking pace, fraud-related concerns are also scaling more rapidly than expected. 

The Era of AI — Blessing or Bane? 

According to Goldman Sachs Investment Research AI-driven automation and efficiency gains are driving a 0.5 per cent-1.5 per cent reduction in labour hours. This could have 51-154 basis points impact on productivity growth by 2025. 

Similar to the 1990s technological boom AI revolution can lead to massive evolution in the digital ecosystem and boost AI-induced productivity across departments in business processes specifically in marketing and advertising along with enabling data-driven strategies based on insights gathered with the use of AI/ML. 

At the same time, threats plaguing the digital ecosystem have also evolved and have made it more sophisticated with AI.  

Last year brought a wave of ambitious AI initiatives, policy announcements, and proposed new standards, with cooperation showing will to fight the emerging threats in the digital ecosystem. However, gaps in AI governance will become evident in 2024. Far more powerful AI models and tools are spreading beyond the control of governments. 

Most of the G20 signed up to the Bletchley Park Declaration on AI safety. During the AI safety summit India, China and the US were among the 28 countries that signed the declaration. The European Union, after much anticipation, agreed on its much-heralded AI Act. The US government has also issued a groundbreaking AI executive order. Even the UN is concerned with such imminent threats. But breakthroughs in artificial intelligence are moving much faster than governance efforts.

The Indian government is also taking a 'positives outweigh negatives' approach to framing rules governing the use of AI. The biggest stakeholders in AI have so far decided to cooperate on AI governance, with tech companies themselves committing to voluntary standards and guardrails. 

As AI models become exponentially more capable, the technology itself is outpacing efforts to contain it in real time. Simulated pictures, audio, and videos get amplified on social media by armies of AI-powered bots. AI can unleash chaos and sway public opinion, discredit real evidence, and further inflame geopolitical tensions worldwide.

How to stay protected?

There is an eminent need to build trust in the digital ecosystem. Verification, optimisation of business processes, and protection of brand and individual across platforms is the key. Here are some aspects that need to stay protected in the digital landscape. 

For Brands marketing in the digital landscape from AI threats:

Track the Digital Fingerprints: Utilise digital fingerprints to authenticate users and devices to safeguard brand reputation and ensure only genuine users interact. Also regularly update security protocols to stay ahead of evolving threats.

Brand Safety and Infringement: AI can be employed to monitor and enforce brand safety policies. Regularly audit the digital content and deploy a validation mechanism to identify and report instances of brand infringement.

Safe Placement of Ads/Brand content: Utilise AI/ML algorithms for ad placement to ensure brand-safe environments across the app, web, and OTT platforms. 

For Individuals across industry professionals and personal privacy protection from AI threats:

Education and Awareness: Regularly educate users about the risks of AI-driven attacks. Build a culture that fosters trust with cybersecurity awareness at an organisation level and at an individual level. 

Multi-Layered Security: Need to implement multi-layered security measures, combining traditional and AI-driven solutions to combat threats to individual privacy and data protection across platforms with regular monitoring, upgradation and address vulnerabilities.

Navigating the digital minefield of AI-driven risks, it is crucial to remain informed.  A proactive approach and commitment to responsible AI usage can help collectively shape a future where AI enhances our lives without compromising our security and integrity. 

AI is a 'Gray Rhino'. Its upside is easier to predict than its downside. 

We may have not witnessed its disruptive impact on markets or geopolitics so far, but sooner or later we will. Thus, to safeguard and build a secure digital ecosystem proactive preventive measures, awareness, regulations, and technology are required.

The era of AI and personalised attacks requires a multi-faceted approach to digital security and a mechanism to ensure platform brands comply with platform and government regulations as part of their brand safety measure across the digital ecosystem. 

Fostering collaboration between industry stakeholders and those who provide solutions to combat these threats with technology can help build trust and transparency. 

(The author is the Co-Founder and CEO, mFilterIt)

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