It’s funny how Hollywood portrays the AI as the smartest being in movies that can either be the protagonist’s greatest ally or the biggest threat in humanity. Even in video games, the AI was always the most intimidating character around. And now, that intimidating character we see in pop culture is now real…and it never sleeps. Whether you love it or hate it, tech companies are working to make the AI our global cyber Sheriff. But, will it truly be a protector of the people or a cover-up for big companies to censor anything that they don’t deem as right in their perspectives?
Do We Really Need an AI for Cybersecurity?
You might be saying, “But we have ethical hackers and computer engineers anyway. Is it necessary for a self-controlling AI to patrol cyberspace?” For me, I do think it’s a double-edged sword. On one side, it’ll make things easier for internet security to have a stronger defense against cyber terrorists and hackers. On the other end, this is going to be a first-gen AI; which means there will be so many bugs and glitches in its own system, marking this as a first step for programmers in which they will take note of in order to make a better AI cop.
The Biggest Role of the AI
As technology grows, so do the people that use them. In turn, cyber attacks can occur more frequently if people are too defenseless online. But if there was an AI built into the system, the cyber attacks will definitely minimize. This is because an AI can track any suspicious activities and follow digital footprints, leading it to the culprit behind the crime before it even happens.
Technology keeps getting more and more sophisticated as time keeps ticking so it’s fair that advanced defense is needed.
If an AI does finally rolls into action, we’d see plenty of great possibilities. Tracking a suspect’s activity online, detect its IP address, trace the wired/wireless router that the suspect uses and then signal the authorities for apprehension. Of course, the AI will include some hard evidence to prove the crime.
It sounds like a wet dream for anyone looking for the perfect online defense system but that dream will soon turn into a reality.
For now, programmers are still maintaining various cyber defense systems but seeing a fully-fledged AI running on the internet and smart technologies at the same time are coming closer than we think.
Is the Internet Really That Dangerous?
Technically, it’s not just the internet that’s in danger. Companies that run ISPs like AT&T and Verizon have built-in internal defense systems to prevent anyone from trying to sneak in and exposing their millions of customers’ personal data. AT&T internet has a strong defense against such malicious acts (see the review here) while Verizon is still testing out its own AI to combat doing.
It’s not just the internet providers that need it; if anything, every company with at least a small website pretty much needs an advanced AI to keep them secure. Banks, research labs, and even small businesses are always prone to cyber terrorism and hacking on a daily basis.
But Won’t the AI Get Hacked Too?
Yes, it’s possible but it will take an evil genius to do that. Remember, the people behind the AI will make sure their creation is untraceable and unpretentious. We’ll just let the computer engineers handle that but if you’re feeling a bit too paranoid over these cyber attacks, you should consider getting a paid VPN to keep you safe online.
