Afraid of AI? We should be - Help Net Security

Not (yet!) of a sentient digital entity that could turn rogue and cause the end of mankind, but the exploitation of artificial intelligence and machine learning for nefarious goals. According to a group of 26 experts from various universities, civil society organizations, and think-tanks, the threat landscape can undergo dramatic changes in the next five to ten years. "The costs of attacks may be lowered by the scalable use of AI systems to complete tasks that would ordinarily require human labor, intelligence, and expertise. A natural effect would be to expand the set of actors who can carry out particular attacks, the rate at which they can carry out these attacks, and the set of potential targets," they noted in a recently released report. "New attacks may arise through the use of AI systems to complete tasks that would be otherwise impractical for humans. In addition, malicious actors may exploit the vulnerabilities of AI systems deployed by defenders."