There’s a growing fear that artificial intelligence might soon become an autonomous cyber threat. But as it stands today, AI doesn’t hack on its own. What it does is amplify the capabilities of those who already intend to breach systems.
Artificial intelligence changes everything. It brings speed, scale, and realism to a level that traditional attackers could never reach alone. With a few prompts, threat actors can generate emails that sound like your colleagues, mimic the voice of your CEO, or replicate legitimate business communication almost perfectly. The result isn’t just faster attacks – it’s more believable ones.
The old indicators of phishing poor grammar, strange formatting, unusual tone are disappearing. Attacks are now clean, timely, and customized. They look and feel legitimate, which makes them harder to detect and far more dangerous. This new wave of social engineering doesn’t rely on brute force, but on subtlety and psychological pressure.
And yet, many companies are still preparing for yesterday’s threats. They invest in firewalls, antivirus systems, and technical barriers, while ignoring the human side of risk. Today’s most effective attacks come through your inbox, your chat tools, or your phone calls. It’s no longer about breaking in – it’s about being invited in.
Our guest for this article, Kévin Thomas, explains that the biggest risk now lies in trust. AI gives attackers the tools to simulate credibility. The speed at which they can test, adapt, and exploit human behavior puts traditional security processes under immense strain.
The solution is not just more technology. It’s better awareness, stronger culture, and leadership that treats cyber as a business priority, not just an IT concern. Everyone in the company – from interns to executives – has become part of the security surface.
AI may not act alone (at least not yet), but it already makes others far more effective. The threat isn’t the tool itself. It’s how easily it can be used against you.
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