Google CEO Sundar Pichai optimistic on AI’s role in cybersecurity

Google CEO Sundar Pichai believes that rapid developments in AI could strengthen defences against cybersecurity threats. While concerns about the potentially nefarious uses of AI have grown, Pichai argues that AI tools can help governments and companies detect and respond to threats more efficiently.

Nevertheless, Pichai asserts that AI can also reduce the time needed for defenders to detect and react to attacks. This reduction in response time aims to address the ‘defenders dilemma,’ where cyber attackers only need to succeed once, while defenders have to be successful every time to protect against attacks. Pichai believes that AI disproportionately helps defenders in this scenario, providing them with tools that can impact threats at scale compared to those attempting to exploit vulnerabilities.

Recently, Google has announced initiatives to enhance online security, including the development of a tool called Magika to detect malware. Additionally, the company has released a white paper proposing measures, research, and guardrails around AI to strengthen cybersecurity efforts further. These tools are already being utilized in Google’s products, including Google Chrome and Gmail, as well as its internal systems.

Cybersecurity attacks have increased in volume and sophistication, which have become a means for malicious actors to exert power and extort money. In 2023 alone, these attacks cost the global economy an estimated $8 trillion, and this figure is projected to rise to $10.5 trillion by 2025, according to cyber research firm Cybersecurity Ventures.