Why secure artificial intelligence is crucial

An AI system autonomously decides on access rights – but what happens if it gets it wrong?

Artificial intelligence (AI) is changing the digital world. New technologies are emerging almost daily. But with every innovation, the attack surface also grows. Cyber attacks, data leaks and legal uncertainties are on the rise. Want to use AI, but wondering how to stay secure? This blog post shows you how to use new technologies responsibly and securely – without losing your innovative edge.

AI is both an opportunity and a risk

According to a study by the TÜV Association, 95 per cent of cyber security experts believe that AI makes defending against attacks faster and more efficient. Nevertheless, only ten percent of companies actively use AI for defence. Why? Because many do not know how to integrate AI securely.

AI can detect threats, respond automatically and improve security processes. At the same time, it brings new risks. 70 percent of companies see AI as a threat to the economy. So you need clear rules to use AI sensibly and securely.

What you need for secure AI

To ensure that AI works securely in your company, you need:

• Governance: Clear rules for the use of AI
• Risk management: Early detection and assessment of risks
• Compliance: Compliance with legal requirements such as data protection and ethical standards
• Resilience: Systems that remain stable even in the event of attacks

These four pillars form the ‘safe space’ for innovation. They help you to use new technologies without losing control.

Practical examples

Finance sector

A medium-sized company in the finance sector wanted to use AI to analyse network data. The aim was to detect unusual activity at an early stage and respond automatically. The solution was based on the principle of ‘trust is good, control is better’ – also known as the zero trust model.

All accesses were checked and all data movements monitored. The result: the number of security incidents dropped significantly within a very short time. At the same time, the response time was halved. This is what successful and secure innovation looks like. According to a study by Darktrace, 43 per cent of the companies surveyed defined autonomous response to threats as one of the main advantages of AI for protecting companies.

Healthcare industry

A company in the healthcare industry used AI to automatically check access rights to patient data. The combination of real-time monitoring and role-based access control prevented data breaches and significantly accelerated internal processes.

What you can do specifically

If you want to use AI securely, you should:

• Create transparency: Document how AI works in your company.
• Clarify responsibilities: Determine who is responsible for AI systems.
• Offer training: Make your team proficient in dealing with AI and security.
• Introduce technical protective measures: Use modern security concepts such as the zero trust model.
• Conduct regular audits: Check your systems and processes regularly.
• Define ethical guidelines: Specify how AI makes decisions and what limits apply.
• Ensure legal compliance: Take into account regulations such as the General Data Protection Regulation, the Cyber Resilience Act and industry-specific standards.

These measures will help you to use AI not only securely, but also sustainably and responsibly.

What does the research say?

Our meta study Security Reimagined shows that AI can improve security – if you use it correctly. It's not about avoiding risks, but about managing them. With a good security concept, AI becomes a factor for success.

The study also shows that companies that rely on resilient processes and clear governance structures respond more quickly to threats while increasing their innovative capacity. This is particularly crucial in regulated industries such as finance, healthcare and energy supply.

Conclusion: Security is not an obstacle, but a trailblazer

Do you want to be innovative? Then you need security. AI and new technologies bring many opportunities – but only if you develop them in a ‘safe space’. With clear rules, good technology and a trained team, you can minimise risks while taking advantage of new opportunities.

Security is not the end of innovation – it is the beginning. Those who invest in secure structures at an early stage can deploy new technologies more quickly and successfully. This not only strengthens your company, but also the trust of your customers and partners.

This is especially important at a time when AI not only analyses data but also makes decisions. This makes a secure framework all the more important.