There are still clear limitations, which are reflected in the fact that AI is still far from being sufficiently intelligent, can only perform certain tasks and is usually not yet able to deal satisfactorily with unexpected situations. Despite all the progress AI has made so far, it is unlikely to be able to learn and adapt as quickly as humans, i.e. AI is not yet able to satisfactorily replicate or even master human cognitive characteristics. However, there are promising new developments that support the expectation that AI will gradually move to another level.

Looking to the future of AI, it is clear that the continued development of AI technology will become increasingly important, especially for consumers and all stakeholders in business and society. If businesses, governments and public institutions can realise the potential benefits of AI, they will be able to automate more and more processes, increase efficiency and productivity and, most importantly, improve customer service. However, like any new technology, AI carries a number of risks. If the 'digital world' as a whole recognises this and takes the right steps to minimise and fully exploit the risks of AI, the risks and IT security breaches should be manageable in the future.

Resilience against growing threats is more important than ever, especially in the emerging AI era. With cybercrime on the rise and AI technology also being used by cybercriminals, an ongoing battle between AI-using cybercriminals and AI users or consumers cannot be ruled out. It is well known that cybercriminals are manipulating existing tools with AI elements to achieve high levels of efficiency for their abusive and criminal purposes. So-called 'deepfakes', i.e. realistic-looking media content, manipulated images, videos and voices, are becoming increasingly authentic, making them harder for consumers to detect. It is therefore important to identify and minimise the specific risks of AI-based cyber threats and to prevent security breaches in the first place.

Harnessing the potential of AI in information security and the fight against cybercrime is therefore essential! The focus is on professionalisation on the defence side, more qualified security experts, standardisation, centralisation and automation of defence mechanisms. In particular, AI undoubtedly offers many advantages for optimising information security, including improved detection and prevention of attacks, advanced authentication methods and data-driven risk analysis. A balanced approach, i.e. combining human expertise with AI technologies, is the key to further optimising the security of our digital world, especially in times of successively emerging AI influences. Risk analysis and assessment are key to a comprehensive and far-reaching security strategy. With the support of AI, complex risk analyses can be performed to identify vulnerabilities and potential threats.

Our security experts have also recognised the signs of the times and are facing up to the challenges of AI.

In the future, the most effective defence against threats will be to utilise the benefits of AI for information technology and AI-assisted risk scenarios and analysis. Transformative AI-based solutions that speed up the early detection of threats and cyber-attacks, as well as the response to them, are more in demand than ever. All of the security specialist's internal activities and developments are focused on thwarting sophisticated and, in particular, AI-assisted cyber-attacks by any means necessary in the future. Reducing response times is a key success factor in combating sophisticated threats, which are spreading rapidly with the use of AI. This is the only way to quickly identify security threats, respond effectively and efficiently, and consistently protect the identity and data of users. In order to detect anomalies and security breaches as early as possible, proactive and consistent action and permanent prophylactic analysis of even large amounts of data are required. New technologies are also on the horizon in the area of authentication, in particular AI-supported biometric authentication systems, which will increase security with regard to the upcoming further development of AI and access systems.

The risks associated with login attempts also need to be considered. AI models can help balance security and usability by analysing the risk of each login attempt and verifying users based on behavioural data. This simplifies access for verified users and dramatically reduces fraud. AI can also help prevent phishing, malware and other malicious activity, ensuring a high level of security for customers and product users. The risk mitigation cycle is completed by the AI-informed development of robust encryption techniques to effectively and efficiently protect sensitive data from unauthorised access and, if necessary, to detect suspicious traffic.

Our conclusion about the AI complex is clearly positive, but it also requires the highest levels of security and expertise.

Artificial intelligence generally offers unprecedented opportunities. However, there are also potential drawbacks and challenges to consider, such as privacy concerns, the potential for bad decisions, and the complexity of implementing AI innovations into existing systems and products.

It is important to harness the potential of AI in information security, while critically questioning how it can be used and monitored appropriately. Ultimately, it is the responsibility of businesses, governments and society as a whole to use AI responsibly and strike the right balance between innovation and security.