There are many questions to be asked about the current hottest AI assistant, ChatGPT. For some the question is still; “What is it?” for others, it’s; “Is ChatGPT safe?” Well, we can answer both of them.
What is ChatGPT?
ChatGPT is the latest AI assistant which, on paper, has knocked it out of the ballpark.
Whilst Alexa and Siri can give brief answers to basic questions, ChatGPT can create long-form AI-generated content. With the ability to write a short story, translate text, grade essays and even write music, ChatGPT can produce paragraphs of generated text, recall prior conversations, and expand further based on your interaction.
Even if you find AI technology a little scary, there’s no denying this is impressive.
How AI can be used for better cyber security.
Could ChatGPT benefit my business?
There are several ways your business can utilise ChatGPT. It can be used to speed up your customer service response rate by acting as a chatbot answering common questions. You could even take advantage of its long-form abilities and have it create content for your website.
However, there are limitations that should be considered. ChatGPT doesn’t ‘know’ information. The technology has undergone a training process, which ended in early 2022, to build its core knowledge. Beyond that, the information it uses to compile responses is gathered from the internet. So ultimately, it’s as accurate as its source… which could be Wikipedia (just saying).
Is ChatGPT safe?
Despite uncertainties about the reliability of some of the information it uses to communicate, ChatGPT is very convincing. Its unique conversational style can disguise its robot roots pretty well. This is where ChatGPT could pose a threat to businesses and users alike.
Risk of phishing
Phishing emails are most often recognised by their non-native or robotic tone. But ChatGPT’s ability to communicate on a much more ‘human’ level in 20 different languages, poses a real risk of an increase in convincing phishing attacks.
Creating malicious code
With the view to aiding programmers in their work, ChatGPT can generate simple code. From a cyber security stance, this could be dangerous. According to researchers, hackers already use the AI platform’s coding capability to write and share malware including polymorphic viruses and ransomware.
Are you taking these 4 steps to protect your business from ransomware?
Impersonating others
In addition to holding an interactive conversation, ChatGPT can write in the style and tone of others. This could be anything from an email from your company MD to a Microsoft Helpdesk technician encouraging a user to share sensitive information. This skill could be used to strengthen social engineering techniques used by hackers.
More spam
Spam is often used to direct users to malicious websites. It could be sent in a text message or an email but either way takes time to compose. With ChatGPT to hand, cyber criminal can boost the volume of spam in circulation at the push of a button.
So, is ChatGPT safe for my business?
In summary, ChatGPT could be great for businesses and users alike. However, as technology develops, so too does cyber crime and this AI platform certainly has the potential to lend hackers a hand.
Our advice is, as always, to be vigilant. Not just if you are using ChatGPT for your business, but be aware of the possible increase in malware attacks and phishing attempts on your employees and your customers.
IT consultancy is peace of mind
It can be hard to know which tech will genuinely benefit your business. But we’re on hand to give you independent advice with no obligation. We have a wealth of expertise and will strive to meet your objectives.
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– SMC / Hull City Football Club.
If you’d like to discuss how you can improve your business with new tech, give us a call.
