Cyber Security Awareness Month has become increasingly centred on the impact of artificial intelligence, commonly known as AI. Here’s an overview of the important AI security trends impacting consumers to help you keep your information and money safe.
The good news: AI is helping to secure companies and their customers
Cyber Security is an ever-changing and the most recent evolution has seen AI become integrated into many information processing tools across the security landscape. AI tools can, or instance, analyze massive amounts of data for patterns that might spot cyber criminals even before they can act. According to research, as many as 85% of organizations now use AI and automated tools in some capacity for security. (Source: IBM Cost of a Data Breach Report 2026)
The sobering news: AI is also empowering cyber criminals
Just as AI tools can help companies with security, they can also help the bad guys, who can leverage them to automate cyber crime such as phishing and other online scams. Research shows that in 2026, AI-powered cyberattacks increased 56% year-over-year globally and now account for one-quarter of all cyber attacks. (Source: IBM Cost of a Data Breach Report 2026).
What can individuals do? Personal tips for security in the age of AI
To a large extent, our personal cyber security hinges on the companies and organizations with whom we do business and share information. So, it's always wise to inform ourselves about their AI and other security practices and then choose carefully. Here are some key things to keep in mind for enhanced security in our daily interactions.
1. Be very selective when sharing sensitive information
While AI tools can be extremely helpful, you have no choice but to place trust in the companies deploying the tools to safeguard your information. If an AI tool suffers a data breach or glitch, your data may be included in what is leaked or stolen.
In February 2025, a widely downloaded mobile app which let people talk to multiple AI tools accidently exposed user messages to the public though a misconfiguration.
In the same month, another AI tool company announced it had discovered a flaw that could redirect user messages, uploaded files, and AI responses to cyber criminals if they could trick someone into inputting text that looked benign.
In both cases, the problem was fixed before it was discovered publicly but there’s no guarantee of that happening in every instance in the future.
2. Be aware of fraudulent imitations
Many cyber criminals and scammers have piggybacked on the explosive growth of AI tools by creating copycat versions of the tools. These convincing imitations can redirect you to scams, try to steal your information, or trick you into installing malware. Be very careful to ensure you are navigating to the authentic URL when accessing these tools to avoid engaging with a fake one.
3. Avoid malicious downloads and apps
Scammers also capitalize on the popularity of AI tools by creating fake browser extensions and apps. These often pretend to be standalone apps for productivity, grammar correction, or other popular benefits. Again, before installing anything, double check that you are getting it from a reputable source.
4. Verify the output of the AI tools you use
As powerful as they are, AI tools are also known to misinterpret the information they read, word things in contradictory ways, or otherwise “hallucinate” when providing information that are incorrect or misleading. Just as with all sources of information, it’s important to verify what’s offered by any AI tool.
Here’s an example: data poisoning is a phenomenon that stems from an AI tool using contaminated by incorrect information, either accidentally or through malicious attacks by cyber criminals.
Think of AI tools as a knowledgeable but overconfident sources of the truth. When they get something wrong, the delivery comes across and confident and correct. Asking the tool to provide sources is a great way to prevent acting on unreliable information.
5. Know the tool’s privacy policy
When using an AI tool or chatbot, many assume that everything they type is private, but that’s not always the case. It’s always a good idea to read the tool’s privacy policy to understand:
- If what you share may be used in AI training
- If what you share may be shared with third parties such as advertisers or other users of the AI tool
- How long your data is stored and if/how you can request that it be deleted (often it is not possible to remove your data once it has been submitted to an AI tool)
- Which specific privacy standards or laws are being adhered to, if any
For even more security: Explore Canada’s Cyber Safe Portal
To learn more about keeping yourself or your family cyber safe, explore the Get Cyber Safe Portal created by the Government of Canada. It contains a great many resources you can use to build safe habits!
