--- description: Are companies in Canada using AI tech to safeguard their data against cyberattacks? What implications could AI have for cybersecurity in business? image: https://gdm-localsites-assets-gfprod.imgix.net/images/getapp/og_logo-94fd2a03a6c7a0e54fc0c9e21a1c0ce9.png title: Using AI in cybersecurity: benefits and challenges --- # The benefits and challenges of using AI in cybersecurity Canonical: https://www.getapp.ca/blog/4507/ai-in-cybersecurity Published on 2024-02-01 | Written by Smriti Arya. ![The benefits and challenges of using AI in cybersecurity](https://images.ctfassets.net/63bmaubptoky/4IENGPTC4TWkKwCQ5sheYY/82a9bff4fb792ea573678ec9b0311175/AI-in-cybersecurity-CA-GetApp-Header.jpg) > Read our survey analysis to explore how businesses in Canada are using artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance threat protection and overcome security issues.    ----- ## Article Content Read our survey analysis to explore how businesses in Canada are using artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance threat protection and overcome security issues.   What we will coverWhat prompts companies to consider increasing investment in AI technology?49% report real-time monitoring as the top advantage of using AI in cybersecurityNeeding specialized human expertise and data quality and quantity are among the top 5 challengesUsing AI in tandem with cybersecurity in the business landscapeCyberattacks such as phishing, ransomware, and data breaches can put organizations at risk and cause hefty losses. A Statistics Canada report stated that although fewer Canadian businesses were impacted by cybersecurity incidents, the reported costs of such attacks were significantly higher. In fact, the same report went on to highlight that in 2021, businesses paid $19,000 on average to recover from cybersecurity attacks which was $8,000 more than in 2019.  In order to combat such data risks, organizations can also consider using artificial intelligence (AI) tools. In fact, researchers from Concordia University, the University of Manitoba, the University of Waterloo, and Ericsoon have received government funding of $1 million to conduct research on implementing artificial intelligence and automation to improve the security of 5G and future wireless networks. Considering this, organizations should ideally leverage appropriate software like cybersecurity tools and artificial intelligence (AI)-powered platforms to detect and neutralize potential cyber threats. To gauge which cybersecurity measures are being used by Canadian businesses,  we surveyed 1,557 Canadian employees. Out of 1,557 respondents, 1,119 respondents are either responsible for implementing cybersecurity measures, participate in cybersecurity initiatives, or are fully aware of cybersecurity measures. We refer to them as ‘fully aware respondents’ in the article.  On the other hand, 438 respondents are not fully aware of such measures, and we will refer to this group as ‘less aware respondents’. Scroll down to the bottom of this article for the full methodology.What prompts companies to consider increasing investment in AI technology?According to a report released by Allied Market Research, AI in the cybersecurity market is expected to reach US$154.8 billion by 2032. Building on this, AI technology can potentially help organizations protect their systems from cyberattacks using its predictive capabilities to analyze historical data and to identify patterns and trends. Therefore, with AI-powered cybersecurity solutions, companies can ideally predict potential cyber threats before they occur.  As more and more organizations are planning to leverage the use of AI in cybersecurity, we specifically asked those respondents who allocate some of their IT budgets to AI which security challenges prompt them to consider increasing their investments in AI technology. This is what they reported:AI-enabled solutions can typically help organizations take a proactive approach to prevent security issues due to phishing attacks. Machine learning (ML), a subset of AI technology, works on learning and training from large datasets to enable users to make informed decisions. Since phishing attacks are one of the top concerns, machine learning technology can be leveraged to gather large datasets of emails and identify the common patterns of phishing emails. This could include external domains or grammatically incorrect content, among other such indicators. Using this analysis, machine learning solutions can help users categorize emails as fraudulent or legitimate. 49% report real-time monitoring as the top advantage of using AI in cybersecurity AI tech can potentially act as a transformative force in various industries. According to Statista, the AI market size in Canada is expected to reach US$16.60 billion by 2030 with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.44% between 2024 to 2030. While AI can help revolutionize many industries, it also has significant implications for cybersecurity. Significantly, a combined total of 64% of fully aware respondents in our survey admitted that some portion of their IT budget is allocated for AI-driven cybersecurity. Our next question then is how does AI-driven cybersecurity help? Delving deeper, we identified the main advantages of using AI for cybersecurity risk management:Drilling down on this, before AI tech came into the picture, traditional cybersecurity measures included signature-based detection systems. Such systems were used to compare incoming traffic to a database of known malicious code signatures or threats. After a match was found, the system would send an alert and take action to block the threat. Though this approach was useful in safeguarding against known threats, it was not effective against unknown or new threats. This is because attackers could easily modify the code and generate a new or unfamiliar code that would not match anything in the database. On the other hand, AI-based solutions typically use machine learning algorithms to detect and respond to both unknown and known threats. For instance, machine learning-based solutions can potentially analyze patterns of network traffic to point out abnormal behavior that may signal a cyberattack. In this way, organizations can ideally leverage the benefits of behavioral analysis of artificial intelligence technology. Further, to understand how AI tech works better when compared to traditional cybersecurity approaches, we asked our respondents how AI tools enhance threat detection and response compared to traditional cybersecurity approaches. This is what we found:55% of survey takers responded with real-time monitoring (meaning they can detect threats as they occur)44% of them reported behavioral analysis, as in identifying anomalies and patterns indicative of threats Another 43% cited automation, meaning such tools help automate routine security tasks, such as alert triage, incident response, and patch managementOverall, small and mid-sized enterprises (SMEs) can utilize AI-enabled tech to conduct regular threat assessments, real-time monitoring of network traffic, and automate certain cybersecurity-related tasks based on pre-determined trigger eventsNeeding specialized human expertise and data quality and quantity are among the top 5 challengesOur study reveals that AI-driven cybersecurity has the potential to provide numerous benefits to businesses. However, it may also be important to keep in mind that new technology might bring some risks along with opportunities. We investigated employees’ responses and asked them about the limitations or challenges associated with using AI for cybersecurity:The topmost challenge revealed by respondents is the fact that human expertise is required to operate AI-based systems. Implementing AI-driven cybersecurity measures would likely require specialized expertise which may not always be easy to find. Also, because AI tech is continuously evolving, it might seem challenging for security experts who are overworked and under pressure. Other common challenges associated with AI in cybersecurity are false positives and false negatives. False positives occur when something is incorrectly classified as a potential threat while false negatives are attacks missed by security tools as they lack the ability to identify them. Therefore, to mitigate such risks, organizations should train their cybersecurity professionals on the usage of AI technology and how it works to improve threat detection and prevention. Also, to prevent systems from generating false negatives or positives, companies may consider testing AI-enabled cybersecurity solutions extensively with their employees and internal stakeholders to understand how these tools can be used to deliver optimized results.Using AI in tandem with cybersecurity in the business landscapeThis study explores the potential of AI technology to improve the cybersecurity landscape. With cyber threats continuing to evolve with changing times, the need for advanced AI tools may be intensifying. However, it is essential to first evaluate the type of risks a business may be exposed to and then decide on leveraging appropriate solutions accordingly. Also,  organizations should strive to make themselves aware of both the benefits and challenges associated with using AI tech for cybersecurity.  Looking for cybersecurity software? Check out our catalogue\! ## Disclaimer > MethodologyTo collect the data for this report, GetApp conducted an online survey in November 2023 among 1,557 Canadian employees. 1,119 are responsible for, actively participating in or are fully informed about their company's IT security policies. A group of 438 respondents were not fully aware of their company's cybersecurity policies and answered specific questions.All respondents were selected according to the following criteria:Residing in CanadaAged between 18 to 65 yearsFull-time employeesWorks with a company with some sort of a security system ## About the author ### Smriti Arya Smriti is a Content Analyst for GetApp, helping SMBs deliver key insights into software, business and tech trends. ## Related Categories - [Billing and Invoicing Software](https://www.getapp.ca/directory/240/billing-invoicing/software) - [Business Management Software](https://www.getapp.ca/directory/581/business-management/software) - [Lead Management Software](https://www.getapp.ca/directory/339/lead-management/software) - [Network Security Software](https://www.getapp.ca/directory/1443/network-security/software) - [Sales Force Automation Software](https://www.getapp.ca/directory/338/sales-force-automation/software) ## Related Articles - [How can businesses utilize the potential of generative AI to drive growth?](https://www.getapp.ca/blog/4125/generative-ai-in-the-workplace) - [Digital reputation: How can SMEs reassure consumers about cybersecurity?](https://www.getapp.ca/blog/3629/digital-reputation-perceptions) - [41% of Canadians surveyed voluntarily provided biometric data to private companies](https://www.getapp.ca/blog/2018/biometric-authentication-methods-canada) - [How to prepare your business for a recession using software?](https://www.getapp.ca/blog/3168/prepare-your-business-for-recession) - [User authentication: 55% of Canadians reuse passwords across accounts](https://www.getapp.ca/blog/2062/user-authentication-reuse-passwords) ## Links - [View on GetApp](https://www.getapp.ca/blog/4507/ai-in-cybersecurity) - [Blog](https://www.getapp.ca/blog) - [Home](https://www.getapp.ca/) ----- ## Structured Data