Understanding AI threats and defenses in plain language
This page explains AI concepts in everyday language. No computer science degree required. If you can spot a pushy salesperson or recognize when someone's trying to rush you into a decision, you already have the skills to recognize AI-powered threats.
The goal is simple: understand enough about AI to protect yourself and make informed decisions about when to trust AI security tools.
Imagine you're teaching a very fast student who can read millions of books but doesn't understand human context or common sense.
What AI is good at:
What AI struggles with:
In plain terms: AI can write emails, texts, and social media messages that sound like they come from real companies or people you know.
Why it works: The AI writes in perfect English with no spelling mistakes, making it harder to spot fakes.
Real-world example: An email that looks exactly like one from your bank, asking you to verify your account by clicking a link.
In plain terms: AI can copy someone's voice or face to create fake phone calls or videos.
Why it works: You trust what you hear and see. If it sounds like your boss or looks like a news anchor, your brain wants to believe it's real.
Real-world example: A phone call that sounds exactly like your company's CEO, asking you to transfer money urgently.
In plain terms: AI can create and send thousands of personalized scam messages in the time it takes you to read this sentence.
Why it works: Attackers used to spend days researching one target. Now AI does it instantly for thousands of people.
Real-world example: Everyone in your company receives personalized phishing emails that mention specific projects they're working on.
AI-powered attacks use the same psychological tricks that have worked on humans for centuries. Recognizing these patterns is your first line of defense.
What it looks like: "Your account will close in 24 hours!" or "Limited time only!"
Why it works: When we're rushed, we make mistakes. We skip the careful thinking and just react.
How to resist: Take a breath. Real emergencies don't happen through unexpected emails. If it's urgent, verify through official channels.
Red flag words: URGENT, immediate, now, today, expires, deadline
What it looks like: "Your account has been compromised!" or "You owe money to the IRS!"
Why it works: Fear triggers our fight-or-flight response, shutting down logical thinking.
How to resist: Organizations don't announce security problems through random emails. If you're worried, contact them directly using contact info you find yourself.
Red flag words: suspended, compromised, locked, breach, unauthorized, violation
What it looks like: "You've won a prize!" or "Claim your refund!" or "Special offer just for you!"
Why it works: Excitement and greed can override caution. We want to believe good things happen to us.
How to resist: If you didn't enter a contest, you didn't win. If you didn't request a refund, there isn't one. Free money doesn't exist.
Red flag words: winner, congratulations, refund, prize, free, bonus, gift
What it looks like: Messages that seem to come from your boss, the IT department, government agencies, or trusted companies.
Why it works: We're conditioned to respond to authority figures. We don't want to question our boss or ignore the government.
How to resist: Real authority figures don't mind being verified. Call them back using a number you look up yourself, not one in the message.
Red flag phrases: "Per the CEO," "IT department requires," "IRS final notice," "Security team alert"
The good news: AI can also defend you. Here's how, in simple terms.
AI checks every email, every login attempt, every file. It never gets tired, never takes breaks, and can spot patterns you'd never see.
Example: AI notices that an email claiming to be from Amazon actually came from "amaz0n.com" (with a zero instead of an O). It flags this before you even open the email.
Good AI tools tell you WHY they flagged something. Not just "this is bad" but "this is bad because the sender address is fake AND it uses urgency language AND it asks for passwords."
Example: Instead of just blocking an email, the AI shows you three specific reasons it's suspicious, helping you learn to spot threats yourself.
The best approach: AI does what it's good at (finding patterns, processing huge amounts of data), and you do what you're good at (understanding context, applying common sense).
Example: AI flags a login from a new city as suspicious. You know you're traveling there for work. You override the AI because you have context it doesn't.
Imagine AI security tools are like weather forecasts:
The same applies to security:
A: No. AI is a tool, not a replacement for your judgment. It can catch most threats, but you have context about your life that AI doesn't know. You're still the final decision-maker.
A: Good AI explains its reasoning. If it says "suspicious" but can't tell you why, that's not helpful. Look for AI that shows specific evidence, not just a yes/no answer.
A: You don't need to be. Follow the simple rules: slow down, verify through official channels, trust your instincts. These work whether you understand technology or not.
A: They're becoming more common, but don't panic. The same common-sense rules that protected you before still work. AI just makes those rules more important to follow.
Here's what to do next: