AI: The Weapon of Mass Destruction or the Key to Humanity's Salvation?

This week, I attended the GITEX GLOBAL Largest Tech & Startup Show in the World an electrifying event about deep tech, AI and cybersecurity that showcased the future of technology and its impact on industries. Among the many discussions, a concept stood out to me—how artificial intelligence (AI) can act as a “weapon of mass” in both positive and negative ways. These expressions are powerful metaphors for understanding the risks and benefits of AI, particularly in our field of cybersecurity. Here’s a bit of what I took away from the conference, along with some thoughts on the implications for organizations like our critical infrastructures.

1. Weapon of Mass Deception

AI has become an incredibly powerful tool for spreading misinformation, fake news, and deepfakes at scale. It can deceive large groups, eroding trust in institutions. In cybersecurity, this deception is a growing threat, as attackers use AI to impersonate trusted sources and launch phishing attacks. Protecting against AI-powered deception is becoming increasingly vital.

2. Weapon of Mass Division

AI has the potential to deepen societal divides by amplifying biased information through algorithms. This division could manifest in the form of polarised views or even unequal access to services. In cybersecurity, threat actors exploit these divides to create chaos. The more fragmented society becomes, the easier it is for attackers to target specific groups or entities.

"The future is already here – it's just not evenly distributed."— William Gibson

3. Weapon of Mass Diversion

AI can overwhelm users with information, diverting attention from critical issues. In cybersecurity, this diversion can be dangerous when attacks are hidden among noise. At Dutch Railways, as in other organisations, AI systems will help prioritise and filter out distractions are key to ensuring that the focus remains on the real risks to critical infrastructure.

4. Weapon of Mass Dilution

As AI automates more tasks, there is a risk of diluting the quality of human input, particularly in fields that rely on creativity or critical thinking. Overreliance on AI in cybersecurity could dull the ability to anticipate emerging threats, as AI is only as good as the data it’s trained on. Human expertise must always complement AI-driven security systems.

5. Weapon of Mass Derision

AI can amplify ridicule and negativity, particularly on social platforms. This can escalate into coordinated cyber-harassment campaigns, threatening individuals and organisations. AI-driven moderation systems are critical for mitigating these attacks, ensuring a safer online environment.

6. Weapon of Mass Delusion

AI can foster unrealistic expectations about its capabilities, leading to overconfidence. In cybersecurity, this delusion can be particularly dangerous when organisations place too much trust in AI-based defenses, without regular human oversight. Effective risk management requires periodic audits to avoid falling into the trap of believing AI can handle all threats.

"Technology is a useful servant but a dangerous master."— Christian Lous Lange

7. Weapon of Mass Devision

AI can create silos within organisations by fragmenting data and systems. While this can sometimes enhance security, it can also make it more difficult to coordinate efforts across teams. The key is finding the right balance between using AI for security segmentation and ensuring seamless communication within the organisation.

8. Weapon of Mass Disruption

The disruptive potential of AI is enormous. Experts at GITEX projected that AI could eliminate 20% of jobs while 100% transforming the other 80%. For cybersecurity, this means constantly evolving roles and responsibilities as AI reshapes the threat landscape. Organisations must adapt quickly, learning new skills and leveraging AI’s capabilities while safeguarding against its risks.

9. Weapon of Mass Distraction

AI can easily distract organisations from their core missions. In cybersecurity, this distraction can take the form of endless AI-generated data that may mask serious threats. Before implementing AI, organisations need to carefully consider the use case and business case. At Dutch Railways, we emphasize the importance of a proper AI management system to ensure AI enhances our operations rather than distracting from the true value we seek to add. Without clear governance, AI could become a tool that pulls attention away from where it’s truly needed.

"Humanity is acquiring all the right technology for all the wrong reasons."— R. Buckminster Fuller

10. Weapon of Mass Detection:

AI's ability to detect patterns and anomalies at scale offers immense potential to revolutionize Know Your Customer (KYC) and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) processes, which currently consume vast organisational resources. By automating detection, AI can flag suspicious transactions and identify risks more efficiently than traditional methods, allowing financial institutions to focus their human resources on more complex investigations.

AI’s detection capabilities also extend to physical environments, such as AI-enabled station platform oversight. In this use case, AI is used to detect aggressive behaviour or suspicious activities in real-time, enhancing public safety. By analyzing video feeds from station platforms, AI can identify potential threats, alert security personnel, and even trigger preventive measures to de-escalate situations before they escalate. This proactive approach can improve passenger safety and reduce the burden on human security teams.

However, whether in KYC/AML or platform oversight, the use of AI in detection carries the risk of bias. Algorithms trained on incomplete or biased data could disproportionately target certain demographic groups, leading to unfair discrimination. This not only raises ethical concerns but also risks legal and reputational damage under regulations like GDPR. Therefore, it’s essential to ensure that AI systems used for detection are transparent, regularly audited, and designed to mitigate bias. The true success of AI in detection lies in its ability to enhance accuracy without compromising fairness.

11. Weapon of Mass Deposition

AI generates and leaves behind enormous volumes of data, creating both opportunities and challenges for organisations. Data was once labeled as "the new gold" by Harvard Business Review, highlighting its immense value. However, with AI, data has become more like the next Uranium—incredibly powerful but dangerous if mishandled. The half-life of data is long, requiring continuous curation, protection, and management. This is especially crucial under regulations like the GDPR, which mandate strict control over personal data to protect privacy. In this era, the trust of people in society—and in the AI systems that support it—becomes the best KPI for a successful implementation. AI systems must not only harness data's potential but also earn and maintain public trust through responsible data management. Failing to do so could result in severe legal, ethical, and societal consequences, akin to the radioactive fallout from mishandling uranium.

12. Weapon of Mass Destruction

In a worst-case scenario, AI could metaphorically (or literally) destroy critical systems. Cyberattacks powered by AI, aimed at essential infrastructure, could cause widespread chaos. However, AI also presents a powerful solution to these challenges. Predictive threat detection, one of the more promising advances in AI, offers hope for mitigating such risks before they escalate into large-scale destruction. AI can bring down society as a whole when it becomes smarter than humans I even heard.

"AI doesn’t have to be evil to destroy humanity — if AI has a goal and humanity just happens to be in the way, it will destroy humanity as a matter of course without even thinking about it."— Elon Musk

Ending on a Positive Note

Despite the warnings implicit in these "weapons of mass" expressions, GITEX speakers as well as myself highlighted the vast potential for AI to be a force for good. The future of AI is bright, especially in cybersecurity, where AI-driven solutions are already helping predict, detect, and respond to cyberattacks faster than ever before.

"As more and more artificial intelligence is entering into the world, more and more emotional intelligence must enter into leadership."— Amit Ray

Ultimately, as I said during my last panel discussion, AI must be used as Intelligence Assistant (IA) — a tool designed to support human decision-making, not replace it. AI should operate in a human-centric manner, enhancing our ability to solve global challenges. By focusing on ethical use and harnessing AI for protection rather than exploitation, we can ensure that it becomes a solution to the challenges we face, rather than a weapon of mass disruption.

"AI is not just a technology. It’s an opportunity to reimagine how we solve the most intractable problems."— Fei-Fei Li