OpenAI’s First Cybersecurity Bet Signals Big Red Flag on AI Threats
Generative AI isn’t just revolutionizing creativity or content — it’s also empowering cybercriminals. OpenAI, a leading name in AI innovation, has now taken a firm step toward tackling this threat by investing in Adaptive Security, a startup focused on stopping AI-generated social engineering attacks.
This marks OpenAI’s first foray into the cybersecurity world, showing just how urgent the threat has become.
Hackers Now Have AI in Their Arsenal
With tools like ChatGPT and other generative models, it’s now alarmingly easy to mimic voices, forge emails, and fake entire conversations. AI can now clone a CEO’s voice or create a seemingly real invoice. These tactics fool employees into clicking malicious links or sharing sensitive data.
That’s where Adaptive Security steps in. It trains employees to detect these tricks through real-time simulations — AI-generated voice calls, fake emails, and texts. Think your CTO is calling you? It might just be a bot.
The Social Engineering Threat is Real
Adaptive doesn’t focus on technical hacks. Instead, it zooms in on people-based attacks, often called social engineering. These are surprisingly effective and very hard to detect. One wrong click, and a company can lose millions.
In fact, this happened to gaming company Axie Infinity in 2022. A fake job offer led to a breach that cost them over $600 million.
AI has supercharged these kinds of attacks. And more companies now realize they need to educate their teams—not just install firewalls.
OpenAI Knows the Risks — Because It’s in the Game
OpenAI’s investment in Adaptive Security comes with sharp timing. With AI capabilities exploding, so are the risks. But there’s another reason this move raises eyebrows — OpenAI already has vast access to public data.
With tools like its Ghibli-style AI art generator, users across India and beyond uploaded their personal images in exchange for dreamy anime-style portraits. What many missed in the excitement was what they were giving up — biometric and visual data.
This data is now part of the OpenAI training ecosystem. While the company claims ethical usage, it opens the door to big questions: Who owns your face? How secure is your voice?
India’s Ghibli Craze — A Privacy Oversight?
The Ghibli AI art tool swept through India in March, with social feeds flooded with custom anime avatars. It was fun. It was trending. But it was also feeding OpenAI’s datasets.
In a country where digital privacy laws are still evolving, this kind of mass data contribution can lead to serious future issues. Cybersecurity isn’t just about stolen passwords anymore—it’s about how much of you is online.
How You Can Stay Safe in the AI Age
You don’t need to be an expert to protect yourself. Here are some simple steps to guard against rising AI-powered cyber threats:
Get trained. Ask your employer if they offer cybersecurity awareness programs.
Delete your voicemail. It can be cloned easily by AI voice tools.
Don’t share personal images or voice samples publicly. Especially on unknown platforms or trends.
Verify before you trust. If a boss or colleague messages you with urgency, call them back on a known number.
Use strong two-factor authentication. Never share verification codes via email or text.
The Road Ahead: Fighting AI with AI
Adaptive Security’s CEO Brian Long says the battle is now an AI arms race. On one side, hackers use AI to break in. On the other, companies like Adaptive use it to train humans to fight back.
With over 100 clients already, Adaptive is growing fast — and OpenAI’s support only adds more momentum.
But while this may help businesses stay secure, individual users must also wake up. Cybersecurity today isn’t just about antivirus software. It’s about being alert, being aware, and knowing that AI is not always your friend.
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