Advantages And Disadvantages of An Artificial Intelligence Security System

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is making waves with a multitude of capabilities. Now, most is speculative, but progress is being made, and the future of many industries and systems is likely to change as AI continues to take ground.

Artificial Intelligent Security Systems

Artificial Intelligence in security systems aims to bring human intellect into the technology governing security systems. With AI, technology would not just mimic human behaviour but rather actively capitalise on its own assimilation of human intellect in order to improve how a system operates.

Many consider cyber security to be one of the areas to benefit from the advent of artificial intelligence. This is largely because of the central concept that AI allows the “development of algorithms designed to identify cyber threats in real time and provide an instantaneous response.”

There is no doubt that AI can improve our own human capabilities, especially when it comes to tech. For example, AI in video analytics means that a machine can detect what are considered normal behaviours and as a result identify abnormal behaviours, in real-time, allowing crime to be stopped in action.

The Advantages of AI in Security Systems

The over-riding benefit of utilising artificial intelligence in security systems is its inherent ability to be scaled and therefore an inevitable efficiency and efficacy that simply cannot be achieved through human systems operation alone. For the analyst on the ground, AI can also simplify the identification, processing and response to security threats.

It’s yet to be properly tested in practice, but in theory the use of AI in security systems would result in a far more calculated approach to security, and potentially therefore, a more accurate result. By its very nature it could eliminate human error.

Additionally, a huge benefit to AI is that it can simultaneously undertake multiple tasks, monitoring and protecting vast numbers of devices and systems. It can therefore mitigate large scale attacks in a way that traditional cyber security systems can’t.

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The Disadvantages of AI In Security Systems

Artificial Intelligence in security systems has, until recently, foregone the utilisation of valuable analyst skills and therefore doesn’t benefit from human feedback. This is being addressed in systems such as PatternEx which incorporates both machine learning for catching attackers, but also calls on human analysts.

Whilst the initial concerns about the development on AI in cyber security systems may centralise on concerns about eliminating much needed human expertise, intuition and judgement, the real disadvantage of AI is its unpredictability.

Herein lies the concern of many global intellectual and technological gurus such as Stephen Hawking and Bill Gates. It is simply impossible to predict the evolution of AI. This means that further disadvantages come into the mix.

In the hands of the wrong people, AI brings a potential for even greater cyber security threats than we have now. It may even allow for a cyber-attack against the system itself. There also is the concern about where responsibility for infractions committed by AI lies.

The Future Of AI In Security Systems

The cyber security field stands to benefit enormously from AI. However, a measured approach needs to be taken, with due care, and control remaining with cyber security analysts. It must be a tool, rather than a leader.