Ash Gawthorp, Ten 10’s Chief Academy Officer
Many organisations view AI (Artificial Intelligence) with a mixture of excitement, trepidation, and FOMO. Those embracing it are gaining a competitive advantage that promises to transform the world we live in for years to come.
AI is already transforming our lives. Netflix is using it to provide tailored recommendations to viewers around the world. AI in agriculture is being used to improve agricultural productivity, and of course, AI has a wide range of applications for the automotive industry, from design, production, and vehicle maintenance to infotainment and autonomous driving.
AI is not new, Amazon has been using AI for predictive logistics for several years now, having patented the technology back in 2014. The online retail giant analyses customer data to predict demand for goods so that it can prepare and ship products for delivery within just a few hours of purchase.
Another use case for AI (especially generative AI) is in customer service, with many businesses using AI-powered chatbots to address customer queries, or even to take orders or help them shop. In the energy sector, AI is improving grid management and efficiency in an increasingly volatile and flexible grid.
In banking, analysis can detect oddities in account activities and identify fraudulent activity in mere milliseconds at any point in the transaction cycle. Another prominent use of AI is in what was once called algorithmic trading, which now relies more on machine learning than on human instructions.
AI is already being used in healthcare facilities and pharmaceutical industries in several ways, with drug discovery, diagnostics, and allocation of resources among them.
The list goes on and is growing. We are in a gold rush, with early adopters of these systems often reaping good profits but at considerable risk. The reward is that they get first mover advantage and the chance to shape and develop IP (Intellectual Property) that will give a competitive edge. The question is: How to maximize the opportunity without falling foul of the hazards?
A recent study by Deloitte revealed that globally, more than 50% of organizations are gearing up to incorporate AI and automation technology into their operations this year. Within the EU (European Union), the Economist reports that 27% already are. It seems that on this side of the pond, we are playing catch-up, which may not be a terrible thing as we are learning from the mistakes of others. Of course, those who leave it too late will be left behind.
Like any powerful tool, AI comes with its fair share of potential dangers that users must be aware of. So, in a world where AI is becoming the norm, let us explore some of the risks that organizations must be vigilant about.
Malicious Actors.
One of the first challenges that organizations face in their pursuit of AI Nirvana is the IT skills gap. A recent survey by Forbes revealed that 93% of businesses in the UK (United Kingdom) are struggling with this. It is alarming to note that many businesses are utilizing AI without fully understanding the risks involved. Recent statistics indicate that 75% of security professionals have witnessed a surge in cyberattacks in the past year, with 85% attributing this rise to malicious actors exploiting generative AI.
As organizations in the UK continue to embrace artificial intelligence, it is of utmost importance that they remain vigilant about the evolving threats that come hand in hand with this powerful technology.
AI Attacks!
The dark side of AI has reached the man and woman in the street, with attackers employing AI-driven tools to unleash havoc through phishing emails, keystroke monitoring malware, and even the most basic yet effective ransomware code. Shockingly, in just a single year, over 2,200 unsuspecting victims fell prey to such attacks. To make matters worse, there has been an alarming 8% surge in global cyberattacks fuelled by next-gen artificial intelligence technology.
From the point of view of developers, AI tools can optimize and even generate code, but can you be sure it doesn’t contain any malicious code? The process of uploading code to optimize means this is now in the public domain and can be used by AI tool vendors to train future generations of the tools. Human involvement and critical analysis of the output from AI is vital, particularly as politics, legislation, and regulation have yet to get a firm grip on how to govern the world of AI – given the glacial speed law-making runs at, and the warp speed of tech development, can this ever not be the case?
Teach and Inform
At the Ten10 Academy, we develop consultants who have AI at the core of their training, so they understand where, when, and how to use it to optimize productivity, whether it is in DevOps, software development, or security while also mitigating the risks. Our focus and heritage are on training people with the latest techniques, insight, and technology, and it is due to this approach that our Academy Consultants can easily adapt to anything else that comes along in the future!
AI is not going anywhere, and if anything, it will become more prominent in the workplace of the future. Because of this, organizations must be prepared and ensure that the technology is used in a safe and responsible manner, and that the speed and efficiency it offers can be optimised.
