Launching April 1: AI Fools

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Gone are the days when you could spot a phishing email by misspellings, grammar mistakes and generic greetings.

Now, scammers are using artificial intelligence (AI) to fake, steal and fool people into sharing sensitive information. Meanwhile, millions of people continue to feed AI tools personal and work-related data without understanding where it goes.

To increase awareness and help people and organizations outsmart AI scams, the National Cybersecurity Alliance is kicking off AI Fools on April 1.

This national campaign includes a free toolkit packed with content, shareable graphics and resources to help you educate your network. The NCA will also host virtual events throughout the month with experts on the latest AI threats and developments.

Why it matters

AI is a powerful, innovative tool. But it also carries risks:

• AI-powered scams are harder to spot because they lack spelling and grammar mistakes
• People are oversharing with AI tools, helping the software impersonate trusted contacts or utilize personalized information
• AI can easily spread misinformation because of its ability to generate realistic but completely false text, images and video content

The NCA found that people are not adequately prepared to combat the technology. The organization’s most recent Oh Behave survey found that 58% of users have not been trained on security or privacy risks associated with AI.

Also alarming: nearly half of the respondents admitted to sharing sensitive work information with AI without their employer’s knowledge.

Interactive, educational resources

AI Fools helps you stay aware and proactive with tools and tipsheets:

• Guides on AI voice cloning and deepfake scams
• Tips on how to verify suspicious calls or messages
• Virtual webinars
• Shareable graphics and social posts
• Educational articles about AI safety

The campaign also includes interactive games, created in partnership with the non-profit CivAI.

The Human vs. AI Challenge introduces you to the idea of utilizing a Safe Word to protect yourself. It includes a deepfake generator as well as a voice-activated simulation that tests your ability to navigate high-pressure AI encounters.

The Future of Phishing shows how AI is changing the phishing landscape in real time. Users pick a public figure “target,” and AI analyzes publicly available information to create a profile on the target and generate custom phishing emails.

Get involved

AI has revolutionized scams and phishing. It’s more important than ever to stay sharp and be prepared.

AI Fools and its toolkit helps teach employees, friends and family how to safely engage with AI and be aware of the ways AI-enabled scams can fool you. By spreading the word, we ensure that everyone stays safe online.