97% Of Organizations Are Worried About AI Threats

(ConservativeSense.com) – Almost all tech security professionals are worried about artificial intelligence (AI), according to a new poll. Cybersecurity firm Deep Instinct reports that 97% are concerned about their company’s chances of enduring a damaging AI security breach. Additionally, 75% said they have altered their security processes in the past year, and 73% intend to increase their focus on preventing cyber attacks.

The report was based on a survey of 500 cybersecurity experts working for companies with over 1,000 staff members. It further found that 61% of those organizations see their executives as particularly vulnerable, given the rise of deepfake incidents. In 75% of cases, a CEO or other executive had been subject to an impersonation attack over the previous 12 months. Furthermore, the new AI world is taking its toll on security professionals, with high numbers reporting rising stress levels.

The World Economic Forum reports that deep fake incidents rose 900% between 2020 and 2021 and forecasts that “as much as 90% of online content may be synthetically generated by 2026.” Deep fake incidents usually involve using technology to mimic the voices of company executives, which banks say they are also increasingly worried about.

Deep faking has furthermore entered the political arena. In January, New Hampshire voters apparently received a call from President Biden urging them not to vote in Democrat primaries. The Granite State’s Attorney General launched an investigation and blamed a Texas company for impersonating the President and committing unlawful voter suppression. The Federal Communications Commission subsequently clarified that AI-generated robocalls were illegal under federal law.

The issue is affecting other countries, too. In Slovakia, a recording of political candidate Michal Šimečka was posted to Facebook just days before an election. In it, he appears to discuss how to rig the ballot with a journalist, Monika Tódová.

Both Šimečka and Tódová insisted they did not have the conversation, and technical investigation proved they were telling the truth, but their innocence was only confirmed after the election.