Artificial Intelligence is now in every conversation as the world warms up to the early stages of the AI era. The results from a new Kaspersky survey show that AI is becoming a new member of society.

Titled ‘Excitement, Superstition, and great Insecurity – How global Consumers engage with Digital World’, the study found that AI is taking on new roles in fields where it can succeed and be trusted by humans.

Based on statistics from Similarweb, ChatGPT garnered 153 million visits in the first month after its launch in November 2022, and peaked at 2 billion visits in April 2024. In light of the rapid advancements in AI, Kaspersky conducted the study to explore current levels of confidence in AI. The study examines its roles from management positions in the workplace to assisting with significant life decisions.

According to the study, respondents see AI as their team member at work, and a manager – 34 percent globally believe AI can be a fairer boss than a human being because of its impartiality. For respondents from the Middle East, Turkiye and Africa (META) region this statistic is 40 percent. In South Africa it is 42 percent.

Another area where AI can play an active role is education. 47 percent of respondents globally, 60 percent in the META region and 68 percent in South Africa foresee children being taught through virtual experience and Metaverses in the near future.

Half of all consumers globally, 53 percent in the META region and 64 percent in South Africa believe that AI has already become an unavoidable part of their lives, with 43 percent, 46 percent and 52 percent respectively having a positive outlook on its potential to bring about many exciting opportunities and improve the future for everyone. A large portion of respondents admit that AI has capabilities in creative areas – 62 percent globally, 59 percent in the META region and 53 percent in South Africa believe AI is a credible producer of works of art.

AI can also be considered a reliable companion and an assistant in everyday life. More than half of respondents (57 percent) globally, 67 percent in the META region and 60 percent in South Africa would like to use AI to run their daily lives more efficiently.

48 percent of those surveyed globally, 60 percent in the META region and 56 percent in South Africa are ready to use an AI chatbot to have conversation online – 31 percent, 38 percent and 33 percent respectively would use it to help them to find the right partner on a dating app. In fact, 48 percent globally, 58 percent in the META region and 63 percent in South Africa believe that human relationships will change because of the impact of AI if virtual characters start replacing real-life partners.

“We are witnessing the growing adoption of AI as a valuable tool, assisting people in diverse areas. Beyond traditional applications, such as processing and analysing data, AI is being entrusted with more intriguing personal roles, including romance, education, and work. As AI technologies continue to evolve, their potential to drive innovation and improve human experiences becomes even more profound. However, this advancement also brings unexpected risks and sophisticated threats, ranging from overreliance — putting too much trust in AI advice — to AI-generated phishing, deepfakes and identity theft. These are the challenges that we need to address across multiple levels,” comments Vladislav Tushkanov, Machine Learning Technology Research Group Manager at Kaspersky.

In order to protect users against AI-driven threats, Kaspersky suggests that people install a trusted cybersecurity solution that can offer protection against AI-enhanced phishing by detecting malicious pages and preventing interaction with them. Such a solution will assist in identifying and blocking fraudulent emails and websites aiming to steal personal information.

To counter the risks posed by deepfakes, it is wise to avoid trusting requests for data or money immediately, even if they seem to come from friends, family members or colleagues. Verifying the authenticity of the request through alternative communication methods is a prudent step.

Utilising an online Privacy checker is also essential for adjusting privacy settings to limit exposure to AI-enhanced identity theft. This approach minimises the amount of personal information accessible online, making it more challenging for threat actors to exploit personal data.