Artificial intelligence a 'double-edged sword' in world of cybersecurity: experts

In the fight against cyber attackers, they reason AI can help just as much as it harms.

Denis Villeneuve has worked in cybersecurity for 15 years but seldom have the threats he's come across felt as personal as they do these days.

Employees at his workplace, technology firm Kyndryl, have been sent fake videos of CEO Martin Schroeter designed to lure them into handing over their login credentials to fraudsters.

Villeneuve has also seen a pal who runs a small engineering firm be preyed on when his wife was left a voice mail using what sounded like his voice to falsely convey that he was in trouble and needed her to quickly post bail money.

"I was like, 'Oh my God.' This hit home close because this is a good friend of mine," recalled Villeneuve, a cybersecurity and resilience practice leader at Kyndryl Canada.

The attacks were made possible by artificial intelligence-based software, which has become even more affordable, accessible and advanced in recent years.

But despite the cybersecurity threats, Villeneuve — like much of the tech industry — is careful not to frame AI as all bad.

In the fight against cyber attackers, they reason AI can help just as much as it harms.