VIEWPOINT
A NEW AGE OF CYBERSECURITY BRIAN PINNOCK, CYBERSECURITY EXPERT AT MIMECAST, WRITES AI CAN BE A POWERFUL TOOL IN MIDDLE EAST’S CYBER DEFENCES
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echnologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, the Internet of Things and quantum computing are expected to unlock unprecedented levels of computing power. These so-called Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) technologies will power the future economy and bring new levels of efficiency and automation to businesses and consumers. AI in particular holds enormous promise for organisations battling a scourge of cyberattacks. Over the past few years cyberattacks have been growing in volume and sophistication. The latest data from Mimecast’s State of Email Security 2022 report found that 90% of companies in Saudi Arabia, and 94% in the UAE, were the target of an email-related phishing attack in the past year. Three-quarters (76%) of UAE companies also fell 24
CXO INSIGHT ME
JUNE 2022
victim to a ransomware attack, with six in ten organisations in Saudi Arabia reporting the same. AI adoption gaining ground To protect against such attacks, companies are increasingly looking to unlock the benefits of new technologies. The market for AI tools for cybersecurity alone is expected to grow by $19-billion between 2021 and 2025. Adoption of AI as a cyber resilience tool is growing among companies in the Middle East. While a third (34%) of companies in Saudi Arabia currently make use of AI or machine learning (or a combination of both), half of the survey respondents said they have plans to adopt AI in the next year. In the UAE, AI adoption is greater, with nearly half (46%) of organisations already using a combination of AI and machine learning.
The UAE has also formalised its intention to become a global leader in AI by 2031 with its National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence. This strategy sets out an ambitious path for how the UAE will leverage AI and increase the country’s competitiveness in priority sectors through deployment of AI. In addition, the strategy seeks to see the adoption of AI across government services with the aim of improving lives, and for the country to become a fertile ecosystem for AI and its applications. However, it’s going to be essential that cybersecurity is a key consideration in this strategy, both in terms of securing AI solutions and also ensuring that cybersecurity providers harness the power of AI to support and improve their technologies. But is AI a silver bullet for cybersecurity professionals seeking support with protecting their organisations?
