Generative AI has dramatically expanded both cyber risk and defensive opportunity. Interim CEO Brian Cute attended two events in New Delhi, India, last week: the Google.org AI Impact Summit 2026 India and the India-AI Impact Summit. Both events explored how artificial intelligence is reshaping economies, societies, and global governance. Sessions made clear a dual imperative — mitigating the misuse of AI while harnessing its power to strengthen defenses for organizations and individuals.
Generative AI in the Hands of Adversaries
The ability to create convincing text, multimedia content, and automated workflows with generative AI has transformed the cyber threat environment. Cute spoke to ANI News on the sidelines of the event, emphasizing that sophisticated phishing, targeted scam campaigns, and hyper-realistic content are easier and cheaper to produce than ever. This shift has lowered barriers to entry for malicious actors and increased the volume and effectiveness of attacks.
This reality presents a growing challenge for small businesses, non-governmental organizations, and individual users, which often lack dedicated cybersecurity resources or robust defenses. These groups are being targeted with scaled, automated attacks that are increasingly difficult to detect and resist.
AI as an Opportunity for Defense
AI can also be a powerful ally for cyber defense. At the Google.org AI Impact Summit, Brian Cute participated in a roundtable discussion, “Building a Scam-Resilient Digital Future in APAC.”
Addressing genAI-assisted scams requires collective action and a globally coordinated response. Leveraging genAI to scale the delivery of basic cyber protection to those end users at scale is an urgent priority. To that end, AI systems are increasingly being deployed to:
- Detect anomalous behavior across networks in real time
- Automate threat intelligence and incident response
- Identify and prioritize emerging risks
- Improve user-level cybersecurity protections with adaptive systems
By using AI to automate and scale defensive capabilities, organizations can move from reactive to proactive resilience. For small NGOs and local enterprises, this can democratize access to advanced cybersecurity tools that were once exclusive to well-resourced institutions.
Managing AI Risks with Purposeful Governance and Investment
Importantly, users must manage the risks inherent in AI-enabled systems, such as data poisoning, model vulnerabilities, and automation errors that could introduce new attack surfaces if left unchecked.
In addition, deploying AI-driven cybersecurity tools responsibly requires governance structures that balance innovation with safety. AI systems can introduce bias, obscure decision logic, and create unexpected behavior if not developed and audited under strong accountability frameworks.
For funders and policymakers, this underscores the importance of investing in:
- Secure AI research and evaluation frameworks
- Transparent standards for AI-driven defense tools
- Capacity building for global communities at risk
- Public-private partnerships that share expertise and tools
- “Communities of action” that work to deliver cyber protection at scale
Supporting open standards, independent audits, and multi-stakeholder collaboration helps ensure that defensive systems are both effective and equitable, protecting all users regardless of size or resources.
Protecting Small Organizations and Individuals
Without deliberate intervention, the gap between well-resourced enterprises and vulnerable groups will widen:
- Micro and small businesses face financial and reputational harm.
- NGOs operate critical services but often lack dedicated security teams, putting the people they serve at risk.
- Individual users are increasingly exposed to identity theft, fraud, and deepfake manipulation.
Addressing this requires a layered approach that combines AI-enabled tools, education, and affordable defensive services. By embedding strong security defaults and automated protections into widely used platforms, the cybersecurity community can make safe behavior the norm rather than the exception.
A Call to Action for Funders and Governments
AI’s trajectory is not predetermined; it will be shaped by how stakeholders invest today. Strategic funding and policy frameworks will determine whether generative AI deepens vulnerability or strengthens resilience.
Key priorities include:
- Scaling AI-driven security tools for under-resourced communities
- Funding research on secure, explainable AI
- Developing interoperable standards and transparent audits
- Supporting global information sharing and cooperative defense networks
This approach goes beyond technology to include governance, community readiness, and cross-sector engagement, ensuring that AI advances are aligned with public good and shared security.
Toward a Resilient, Secure AI Future
AI is reshaping both the threat landscape and the defensive toolkit. Cybercriminals are leveraging scalable, automated tools to launch attacks that are harder to distinguish from legitimate activity, while AI-powered defenses offer new possibilities for protecting users at scale. Turning this moment into a sustainable advantage requires coordinated action:
- Investing in responsible AI-enabled defense capabilities
- Governing AI deployment with transparency and accountability
- Catalyzing cross-sector collaboration on shared risks and solutions
By centering resilience and equity in our approach, stakeholders can help ensure that generative AI becomes a source of strength for cybersecurity — empowering defenders, protecting vulnerable communities, and enhancing trust in the digital ecosystems that underpin modern society.
