Zscaler, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZS), the leader in cloud security, today
announced the release of its 2024 AI Security Report, which draws
on more than 18 billion AI transactions across the Zscaler Zero
Trust Exchange™ cloud security platform from April 2023 to January
2024. Zscaler ThreatLabz researchers analyzed how enterprises use
AI/ML tools and mapped trends across sectors and geographies,
highlighting how businesses are adapting to the shifting AI
landscape and managing security around the use of AI tools. Today's
enterprises must secure a transformation driven by generative AI
(GenAI) bidirectionally: by securely adopting GenAI tools in the
enterprise with Zero Trust while leveraging it to defend against
the new AI-driven threat landscape.
AI has already become a part of business as usual, as
enterprises leverage and integrate new features and tools into
their day-to-day workflows, multiplying the volume of transactions
and data generated. The much higher volume is reflected in the
nearly 600% increase in transactions as well as the 569 terabytes
of enterprise data sent to AI tools that ThreatLabz analyzed
between September 2023 and January 2024.
“Data is the lifeblood of every enterprise and the gold of this
new era in the AI revolution,” said Deepen Desai, Chief Security
Officer, Zscaler. “With the visibility provided by the Zscaler Zero
Trust Exchange’s nearly 500 trillion daily signals combined with
Avalor* Data Fabric, we believe Zscaler is uniquely positioned to
fight AI with AI and improve Zero Trust security across the
enterprise.”
AI transactions grow exponentially
From April 2023 to January 2024, ThreatLabz saw AI/ML
transactions grow by nearly 600%, rising to more than 3 billion
monthly across the Zero Trust Exchange platform in January. Despite
the mounting security risk and increasing number of data protection
incidents, enterprises are adopting AI tools in large numbers.
Manufacturers responsible for more than 20% of
enterprise AI/ML transactions
Manufacturing was found to be the industry leader in AI
transactions across the Zero Trust Exchange platform, driving
nearly 20% of the total volume. From analyzing vast amounts of data
from machinery and sensors to preemptively detect equipment
failures to optimizing supply chain management, inventory, and
logistics operations, AI is proving instrumental to manufacturers.
The other notable verticals that comprise the top five are finance
and insurance (17%), technology (14%), services sectors (13%), and
retail/wholesale (5%).
ChatGPT leads the way as the most popular GenAI
application
Research shows that ChatGPT accounted for more than half of all
enterprise AI transactions (52%), while the OpenAI application
itself ranked third (8%). Drift, the popular AI-powered chatbot,
generated nearly 20% of enterprise traffic, while LivePerson and
BoldChat also made the list. Writer was the favorite GenAI tool for
creating written enterprise content.
The United States leads the way in enterprise AI tools
usage
AI adoption trends differ globally as regulations, requirements,
technology infrastructure, cultural considerations, and other
factors play key roles. At 40%, the US produces the highest
percentage of enterprise AI transactions globally. India was second
at 16%, propelled by the country’s accelerated commitment to
driving innovation.
Although the UK's share of global enterprise AI transactions is
only 5.5%, it leads enterprise AI traffic in EMEA with over 20%.
France (13%) and Germany (12%), as expected, follow closely behind
as the second and third largest enterprise AI traffic generators in
EMEA. However, the United Arab Emirates is a rapidly growing
technological innovator in the region that has also emerged as a
prominent AI adopter.
In the APAC region, ThreatLabz discovered a staggering increase
of nearly 1.3 billion (135%) more enterprise AI transactions
compared to EMEA. This surge can likely be attributed to India’s
extensive usage and adoption of AI tools for conducting business
across the tech sector, and it may suggest a higher concentration
of tech jobs, stronger willingness to adopt new innovations, and
fewer barriers to usage.
AI empowered threat actors amplify enterprise risk and
security challenges
As the power of AI has advanced, it has become a double-edged
sword for enterprises. While AI offers immense potential for
innovation and efficiency, it also brings forth a new set of risks
that organizations must grapple with–namely, risks associated with
leveraging GenAI tools within the enterprise and an evolving
landscape of AI-assisted threats.
The utilization of GenAI tools within enterprises introduces
significant risks that can be categorized into three main
areas:
-
Protection of intellectual property and non-public information: the
risk of data leakage
- AI application data
privacy and security risks: including an expanded attack surface,
new threat delivery vectors, and increased supply chain risk
- Data quality
concerns: the concept of "garbage in, garbage out" and the
potential for data poisoning
Simultaneously, enterprises are constantly exposed to a barrage
of cyberthreats, some of which are now AI-driven. The possibilities
of AI-assisted threats are virtually limitless, as attackers can
leverage AI to orchestrate sophisticated phishing and social
engineering campaigns, develop highly evasive malware and
ransomware, exploit vulnerabilities in enterprise attack surfaces,
and amplify attacks' speed, scale, and diversity. To address this
challenge, enterprises and cybersecurity leaders must effectively
navigate the rapidly evolving AI landscape to harness its
revolutionary potential while also mitigating the risks and
defending against AI-powered attacks.
Enabling secure enterprise AI adoption with
Zscaler
Zscaler is at the forefront of empowering enterprises to embrace
the potential of AI applications while ensuring the safety of their
data and maintaining an environment that’s secure against emerging
channels for exfiltration. With the Zero Trust Exchange platform,
Zscaler provides the comprehensive set of tools necessary for this
transformative journey, encompassing four critical
capabilities:
- Full
visibility into AI tool usage
- Granular access
policy creation for AI
- Granular data
security for AI applications
- Powerful controls
with browser isolation
By leveraging Zscaler’s Zero Trust security controls,
enterprises can confidently embrace their AI transformation, fully
harnessing the potential of generative AI while ensuring the
highest level of security. They will gain the necessary tools to
protect their business from AI-driven threats while benefiting from
Zscaler’s fine-tuned AI policies and robust data protections.
Download the full version of the 2024 AI Security Report now to
uncover even more insights about securing AI.
*See here to learn more about Zscaler’s recent acquisition of
Avalor.
MethodologyAnalysis of 18.09 billion AI
transactions from April 2023 to January 2024 in the Zscaler
security cloud, the Zero Trust Exchange.
About ZscalerZscaler (NASDAQ: ZS) accelerates
digital transformation so customers can be more agile, efficient,
resilient, and secure. The Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange™ platform
protects thousands of customers from cyberattacks and data loss by
securely connecting users, devices, and applications in any
location. Distributed across more than 150 data centers globally,
the SSE-based Zero Trust Exchange™ is the world’s largest in-line
cloud security platform.
Media Relations Contact:Natalia Wodeckipress@zscaler.com
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d9e83e38-6326-46a2-8223-b9d6428470d8
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