On AI Appreciation Day, Cybersecurity Experts Push for Responsible Innovation

AI Appreciation Day was created to recognize the growing role of artificial intelligence in today’s world. While it may not be widely known, the holiday offers a timely opportunity to spark productive conversation on both the benefits and risks of AI as it evolves rapidly.

Recent research from IBM reveals how enterprises are using AI today, with 72% of organizations integrating AI into at least one business function in 2024. At the same time, threat actors are now leveraging AI to scale attacks. Cybercriminals are more likely to log in with stolen credentials than ‘hack in’ to a network, contributing to a surge in identity-based attacks which made up 30% of all breaches in 2024. With the average global cost of a data breach reaching a record $4.88 million last year, understanding the implications of AI (good, bad, and ugly) will be essential for organizations navigating the threat landscape.

As AI dominates headlines and trend reports, this AI Appreciation Day cybersecurity leaders called for a holistic conversation on these widespread implications—one that goes beyond the hype and balances innovation with responsibility, and accelerated growth and utilization with precaution.

Imprivata Chief Technology Officer Joel Burleson-Davis emphasized the importance of recognizing the real-world impact of AI already underway.

“It’s important to look beyond the headlines about risk and focus on the measurable, positive impact AI is already having, especially in sectors like healthcare and manufacturing,” said Burleson-Davis in an article by Solutions Review.

However, AI also introduces inherent risks, with more threat actors leveraging generative AI to craft more convincing phishing attempts, launch deepfake-enabled social engineering campaigns, and exploit gaps in visibility and governance.

“Organizations are increasingly turning to AI and automation to keep up with the complexity of rising cyber threats,” said Burleson-Davis in an interview with NextTech Today. “While AI helps businesses strengthen their security, it also accelerates the threat environment by offering the same aid or advantage—presenting new opportunities for bad actors to exploit and steal sensitive data.”

As AI becomes more embedded in critical infrastructure and modern society, its promise comes with heightened responsibility. Experts acknowledge that AI must be governed

“The challenge now isn’t whether to embrace AI—it’s how to scale and govern it responsibly,” said Burleson-Davis.

Traditional AI and machine learning are already proving valuable in identifying patterns of risky behavior, detecting anomalies in access logs, and flagging potential threats before they escalate. Leveraging user behavior and access analytics tools can give organizations deeper visibility into how their systems are used and misused across increasingly complex environments.

“Access management data provides powerful, real-time metrics that analyze the impact and adoption of technologies and digital systems, such as those using AI,” said CEO Fran Rosch in a Forbes Tech Council panel. “This data offers actionable insights into how tools are being used and their effect on productivity. By mapping usage trends to business outcomes, organizations can identify gaps, optimize training, and prove ROI.”

With AI driving both innovation and exposure, industry leaders are urging organizations to evolve their security strategies accordingly. Strong compliance, zero-trust frameworks, and real-time monitoring are being noted as increasingly essential tools for cyber resilience in an AI-powered world.

Hear more about the implications of AI from other leaders in this Solutions Review article.

Learn more about how Imprivata helps organizations leverage AI to optimize efficiency and security through the strategic use of identity and access management.