AI in Cybersecurity: India’s New Arms Race

A few months ago, over coffee with the CIO of a leading Indian bank, he told me,
"We have more AI tools in our SOC than analysts on the floor. I’m still unsure whether AI will save us… or train the attackers faster."

That’s the reality in today’s India—AI is powering both sides of the cybersecurity battle.

Why AI is a Boon for Defenders

AI is helping security teams do in minutes what used to take hours—sift through logs, flag anomalies, detect phishing, and even predict attacks.

For India, where skilled cybersecurity talent is scarce, AI fills critical gaps. Banks, fintechs, and manufacturers are adopting AI-driven fraud detection, threat hunting, and vulnerability scanning.

The results are real—AI models have saved crores in fraud prevention, often catching attacks before humans can react.

But Hackers are Upgrading Too

Here’s the twist—attackers are using AI just as aggressively. Generative AI now writes perfect phishing emails in any language, mimics a CEO’s voice with deepfakes,
and reverse-engineers security controls.

Five years ago, a phishing email from abroad often gave itself away with clumsy grammar. Today, the AI-crafted one you get might look like it came from your colleague.

India’s Unique Risk-Reward Equation

Our ecosystem is digitally ambitious—leading in UPI payments, rolling out 5G, digitising government services. But we also face infrastructure gaps, fragmented regulations,
and cyber skill shortages. AI accelerates both progress and risk.

For defenders, it means scaling faster than talent pipelines allow. For attackers, it democratises sophisticated hacking methods that used to take years to master.

Beyond Security: AI as a Business Driver

In one client project, an Indian manufacturer adopted AI threat modelling for factory security. Within six months, they discovered it could also optimise production lines
and forecast maintenance—turning a cybersecurity investment into a profitability engine.

This is the bigger picture—AI in cybersecurity isn’t just defence; it’s a driver for efficiency, trust, and competitiveness across industries.

The Human Factor

AI can detect anomalies, but it’s people—analysts, engineers, CISOs—who decide how to act. In India, our edge will come from pairing AI’s speed with human judgement,
supported by training, awareness, and ethical frameworks.

Bottom line: In India’s digital-first economy, AI is the new engine in cybersecurity. The winners will be those who adopt it faster, smarter, and more responsibly
than their adversaries—because in the end, trust is the ultimate currency.