Zscaler Exec Discusses AI’s Impact on Cyber Defense

Ken Urquhart, global vice president of 5G, edge and satellite at Zscaler and a 4×24 member, acknowledged how artificial intelligence can enhance cyber defense during a discussion at the recent Tech .eu Summit in London.

However, he noted that current AI technologies, including neural networks and large language models, produce unreliable information due to statistical variability and hallucinations, among other issues, The Quantum Insider reported.

“You need to be thoughtful about how you apply AI because it can give less accurate answers if asked the same question twice in a row over a span of hours or days,” Urquhart said.

According to the executive, applying AI to cybersecurity comes with ethical and security challenges, warning that overreliance on the technology may result in significant errors.

He also discussed the need to be proactive in preparing for the emergence of quantum computing algorithms that could break existing encryption systems in the future.