Business news | August 16, 2024 | By Nick Flaherty
Artificial Intelligence is rapidly evolving, bringing with it a pressing need for heightened security, particularly for applications at the edge of the network. This trend has been highlighted in the most recent survey by PSA Certified, revealing the industry’s growing concerns about AI’s frenetic pace potentially outstripping the capacity for adequate safeguards.
In fact, 68% of technology decision-makers are alarmed that advancements in AI are surpassing the industry’s ability to secure devices, products, and services. The underlying culprit for this security challenge is edge technology. Unlike centralized cloud-based systems, edge devices process, analyze, and store data locally, offering distinct advantages in efficiency, security, and privacy.
Given these dynamics, it’s not surprising that 85% of respondents, including OEMs, ODMs, SIPs, software vendors, and other key technology figures, believe robust security measures will drive the proliferation of AI use cases to the network’s edge.
The PSA Certified survey, encompassing insights from 1,260 global technology leaders, underscores the increasing priority placed on security over the past year. In particular, 73% of respondents have elevated security up their agenda, with 69% specifically noting AI as the catalyst for this shift. The survey’s geographical spread comprised 470 participants from Europe, 300 from North America, and 390 from Asia.
Despite the high awareness of security issues, only half of the respondents feel they are investing sufficiently in security measures. Alarmingly, many are overlooking fundamental security principles, such as obtaining security certifications. Just over half are leveraging externally validated security certifications (54%), independent third-party product testing and evaluation (48%), or threat analysis and modeling (51%) to enhance their security frameworks.
This oversight is seemingly contradictory, given that 80% of respondents recognize that embedding security into products can drive financial performance and agree that compliance with security regulation is now of paramount importance, climbing 6% from those who prioritized it in 2023.
David Maidment, Senior Director of Market Strategy at ARM and PSA Certified co-founder, emphasized the inseparability of AI and robust security practices. “The expansion of AI brings substantial opportunities, but it also opens avenues for malicious entities. It’s crucial that best practice security is not sacrificed in the rush to develop AI features. Ensuring consumer trust via rigorous security measures is a shared responsibility across the entire value chain. Fortunately, the industry acknowledges the necessity of gearing up for future security challenges, particularly against the backdrop of rapidly advancing edge AI,” remarked Maidment.
Nonetheless, despite 68% expressing concern over AI outpacing current security frameworks, and with a promising 67% feeling confident in their organization’s capacity to manage the associated risks, there remains a strong consensus that more preparation is required. Nearly 78% agree they must escalate their readiness for AI and the accompanying security threats. Interestingly, more decision-makers are prioritizing the enhancement of product and service security (46%) over merely boosting AI readiness (39%), recognizing that synchronizing advancements in both domains is paramount.
As the industry endeavors to balance the dual imperatives of AI innovation and security, the importance of comprehensive, strategic investment in security at the edge cannot be overstated. This will be critical in maintaining consumer trust and capitalizing on the vast opportunities AI presents.
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