Exploiting AI for Attacks: On the Interplay between Adversarial AI and Offensive AI

TL;DR

This paper examines the emerging threats of adversarial AI and offensive AI, analyzing their interplay and implications for security, and providing a clear understanding of these complex and evolving risks.

Contribution

It offers an accessible analysis of the interaction between adversarial AI and offensive AI, clarifying their roles and potential security challenges.

Findings

Highlights the dual role of AI as attacker and defender

Explains the complex interplay between adversarial and offensive AI

Provides a foundational understanding of emerging AI threats

Abstract

As Artificial Intelligence (AI) continues to evolve, it has transitioned from a research-focused discipline to a widely adopted technology, enabling intelligent solutions across various sectors. In security, AI's role in strengthening organizational resilience has been studied for over two decades. While much attention has focused on AI's constructive applications, the increasing maturity and integration of AI have also exposed its darker potentials. This article explores two emerging AI-related threats and the interplay between them: AI as a target of attacks (`Adversarial AI') and AI as a means to launch attacks on any target (`Offensive AI') -- potentially even on another AI. By cutting through the confusion and explaining these threats in plain terms, we introduce the complex and often misunderstood interplay between Adversarial AI and Offensive AI, offering a clear and accessible introduction to the challenges posed by these threats.