Almost two-thirds of UK workers have not received training on how to detect AI-powered cyber threats.
- Most UK workers are not trained on AI-driven cyber threats despite growing risks
- Younger employees now report lower confidence in spotting AI scams than older workers
- Researchers warn that organizations face skills gaps in both cybersecurity and artificial intelligence
Even though AI-powered cyber threats make headlines every day, most workers have not received any training or education on how to detect these attacks, or how to behave if they fall victim to one, new research claims.
QA conducted a TLF survey of 1,000 people and found that in the past 12 months, nearly two-thirds of workers (61%) admitted to having received “no training” on AI-driven cyber threats. For the researchers, these findings revealed a “significant gap in how prepared companies are against AI-driven threats and how confident employees feel in detecting these convincing fakes.”
Artificial Intelligence has gone from a humorous trick to a powerful tool that threat actors can use to compose convincing phishing emails, rendering one of the best methods of defense, proofreading, largely useless.
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But they didn’t stop there. AI is now used to create deepfake videos and audio, tricking people into video calls and audio messages. It was recently reported that Paolo Molesini, former president of Fideuram – Intesa Sanpaolo Private Banking (a very large Italian private banking and wealth management group, owned by Intesa Sanpaolo), was the victim of a very convincing AI-powered phishing attack and ended up transferring more than 100 million dollars abroad.
No policies
At the same time, QA found that nearly a quarter (22%) said their organization had no policies in place to combat phishing emails, deepfake voice scams, or AI-generated fake invoices.
In the pre-AI era, the younger generation was the most confident in their ability to detect and prevent a cyberattack. Millennials, Generation Z and the younger generation were born in the computer age and became tech-savvy from their earliest days, giving them a unique ability to spot scams. As a result, older people were among the most affected group and one of those with the greatest losses.
Today, the tables have turned. Knowing how dangerous AI is and how difficult it is to detect, 18-24 year olds are now the least confident about getting caught out, with almost two in five (39%) admitting their concerns.
Age differences aside, the QA also identified other trust gaps. It says that fewer than one in ten (9%) of non-managerial workers confirmed that they were “very confident” they could detect an AI-generated phishing email, compared to 48% of owners/partners and 33% of board directors.
Among workers who received any training, only a quarter (25%) described it as dedicated to AI-driven threats. One-third (30%) said AI threats were only covered as part of generic cybersecurity training, meaning almost three-quarters (70%) have received no training at all or have only covered AI threats through other forms of training.
Building the foundation
“It’s clear from the survey data that organizations need to lay the foundation for basic AI literacy, so business leaders and workers feel confident detecting these threats,” said Dr. Vicky Crockett, AI portfolio director at QA.
“When it comes to training, it is imperative that all job roles can positively detect any AI-driven cyber threats, but when it comes to AI training, there is no one-size-fits-all solution, so combining basic AI literacy learning with job-specific training is often the best option.”
Interestingly, QA did not discuss whether workers themselves were using AI to help them detect AI-powered attacks. Cybersecurity professionals have been implementing cutting-edge models for years, leveraging machine learning and speed to address advanced threats.
“The findings suggest that organizations face both a skills challenge and a cybersecurity challenge,” said Jo Bishenden, chief learning officer at QA. “AI is changing the way people work, but many employees are not developing the skills they need to understand the risks and opportunities that come with these new technologies.”
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