Cyber security AI is almost here – but where does that leave us humans?

Whatever the industry or application, it seems that any attempt at future-gazing around technology today will inevitably turn to the impact of artificial intelligence (AI). From automated customer support and targeted marketing to self-driving vehicles and even the field of war, AI has huge potential in almost every aspect of our professional and personal lives. In the security industry, AI is being looked to in order to create the ultimate solution for advanced cyber-attacks. This vision of security nirvana involves the arrival of a system so sophisticated that it can detect and shut down an attack before us mere humans are even aware there was a threat at all. In many applications, the impending advent of AI has proven to be a controversial idea, with debate frequently turning to nightmarish outcomes like the malevolent and murderous Skynet or HAL 9000.