Artificial Intelligence: What Are the Risks and Benefits for Companies?

You don't need to be a tech expert to understand what Artificial Intelligence is. This concept has been part of our collective consciousness for a long time—whether through books, TV series, or movies. In fact, is there a more famous example of Artificial Intelligence than J.A.R.V.I.S.?—the virtual assistant of Iron Man.

But it's outside of the screen that Artificial Intelligence really makes a significant impact. For instance, it is estimated that AI will contribute approximately $16 trillion to the global economy by 2030, according to a forecast by PWC.

Since the release of the latest version of ChatGPT in December 2022, Artificial Intelligence has become the hot topic. This is because the language model created by OpenAI has made discussions about AI more accessible, shifting the dynamics of internet searches—historically dominated by Google.

Furthermore, Artificial Intelligence offers tremendous innovation potential for companies, as the various possibilities of this technology continue to evolve, making AI more accessible and beneficial for different business segments.

However, like anything, Artificial Intelligence has its pros and cons. Its capacity for significant innovation and process optimization can be both an advantage and a risk. This is because the potential of this technology depends on who is in control, and therefore AI can be exploited for malicious and cybercriminal purposes.

In this article, you'll learn more about both sides of the coin, understand what Artificial Intelligence is, and explore its advantages and disadvantages for company cybersecurity. Interested? Let’s dive in!

What is Artificial Intelligence?

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a field of computer science dedicated to developing systems capable of performing tasks autonomously—without requiring human commands to complete them. This includes functions like pattern recognition, problem-solving, decision-making, learning, and more.

As the name suggests, Artificial Intelligence is technology that can "think" and execute tasks similarly to humans through algorithms and databases. Additionally, these systems can learn from past experiences, adjust their responses, and improve their accuracy over time.

How Does Artificial Intelligence Work?

Artificial Intelligence operates in a manner similar to the human mind—with fewer connections, of course. This means AI can "think" and make decisions based on the information present in its algorithms and databases.

In practice, AI is a highly versatile technology with various approaches for its use, including Machine Learning, neural networks, Natural Language Processing (NLP), and more. Each of these techniques uses different types of algorithms and specific approaches.

What is AI Used For?

There are countless ways to use Artificial Intelligence. Generally, AI can be employed as a virtual assistant, a data learning method, a task optimization tool, a form of constant monitoring, comparison tools, and more.

Some areas that can benefit greatly from AI resources include:

• Healthcare: AI can assist in diagnosing diseases more accurately and help doctors identify more effective treatments based on large amounts of data.
• Finance: AI can be used for risk analysis, fraud detection, and economic trend forecasting.
• Retail: AI helps in personalizing product recommendations based on a customer’s purchase history and preferences.
• Transportation: AI can optimize routes and help reduce traffic congestion.
• Education: AI can personalize learning and improve monitoring by providing study materials adapted to each student's learning style.
• Public Safety: AI is an excellent tool for detecting suspicious activities and potential threats, helping to prevent crimes and ensure public safety.

Benefits of Artificial Intelligence for Cybersecurity

Artificial Intelligence is a valuable tool for cybersecurity due to its ability to process large amounts of data in real-time and identify patterns and anomalies that may indicate malicious activities.

Moreover, AI can analyze information from various sources, including security logs, network traffic, and user data, providing valuable insights.

AI can be used to identify vulnerabilities in security systems by analyzing source code and pinpointing potential weaknesses. This allows organizations to identify and fix potential flaws before they are exploited by cybercriminals—preventing data breaches, theft, and invasions.

What Risks Does AI Pose for Company Cybersecurity?

Although Artificial Intelligence is a valuable tool for cybersecurity, it also presents some risks. Here are some of the main concerns:

• Algorithmic Bias: AI algorithms can be trained with biased data, leading to incorrect decisions and results. This can result in false positives or negatives regarding potential security threats or errors in identifying suspicious behaviors.
• Adversarial Attacks: Just as AI can be a great tool for protecting systems, it can also be used for cybercrime. Cybercriminals can use AI against companies by creating algorithms that mimic legitimate behaviors to evade detection by security systems.
• Technical Failures: Like any other technology, AI is susceptible to errors. It can fail or provide inaccurate results due to technical issues such as programming errors, software problems, or hardware malfunctions. This can lead to wrong decisions or failures in detecting security threats.

How to Protect Against AI Risks

The best way to protect against the threats posed by Artificial Intelligence is to address potential vulnerabilities in your systems, fortifying them against possible cyberattacks.

Bug Bounty operates as a reward program for identifying bugs, aimed at finding potential vulnerabilities in company systems and thus making them more secure.

With a diverse base of experts, BugHunt is Brazil's first Bug Bounty platform and, in 2022 alone, helped its partner companies save over R$ 15 million from potential cybercrime losses.

Want to know how to protect your company from the dangers of Artificial Intelligence with Bug Bounty? Contact BugHunt!