The Spooky Side of AI: Is Your Business Prepared?
If you walk through any neighborhood on Halloween, you’ll spot all kinds of monsters out and about. Vampires, mummies, creatures, and ghouls are everywhere, but luckily, they’re just after candy, not causing trouble.
The monsters businesses face are much harder to spot. They don’t show up in costumes. Instead, they can look like trusted coworkers, executives, vendors, customers, or even useful technology.
Artificial intelligence offers businesses new ways to boost productivity, automate tasks, analyze data, and improve security. But cybercriminals can use many of these same tools.
AI can make common scams quicker, more personal, and harder to spot. This is a major concern for organizations that handle financial details, client or patient records, intellectual property, or other sensitive data.
The good news is that employees don’t have to be AI experts to keep the business safe. They need security habits that work even when everything seems normal.
Wearing garlic won’t help in this case, but having good processes will.
AI Shapeshifters: When Seeing and Hearing Isn’t Believing
There was a time when hearing someone’s voice or seeing them on video meant you could trust who you were talking to. Now, AI has changed that. AI-generated audio, video, images, and other content can make a request look like it’s coming from someone you know and trust.
This makes it harder to rely on old advice like: “Look closely and see if anything appears fake.”
There might still be signs that something was made by AI. But expecting employees to always catch them isn’t a reliable long-term plan. AI will keep getting better, and what’s obvious today might not be tomorrow.
So rather than training every employee to spot deepfakes, focus on something attackers can’t easily copy: your verification process.
If someone asks for a money transfer, password reset, account change, sensitive information, or any other risky action, employees should use a set procedure to recheck the request.
Picture an employee getting an urgent call that sounds just like an executive asking for a financial transaction.
The real question isn’t: “Does that sound like them?”
It should be: “Does this request follow our usual approval and verification process?”
A convincing voice alone shouldn’t be enough to skip a proper procedure.
Key point: Don’t trust someone’s identity just because they sound convincing. Always verify sensitive requests using a trusted process.
AI Mummies: Old Scams in Better Wrapping
Phishing isn’t a new threat. It’s been around for a long time. What’s different now is how it looks.
Employees used to look for clear warning signs like misspelled words, odd grammar, generic greetings, awkward sentences, or strange formatting. These signs still show up, but they aren’t enough anymore.
AI can help create messages that are polished, professional, personalized, and use terminology that sounds appropriate for your business. Just because an email has perfect grammar or a familiar tone doesn’t mean it’s safe. It’s an old threat dressed up in a new way.
This means employees need to start asking a different question.
Instead of only asking: “Does this email look suspicious?”
Instead, ask: “Does this request make sense?”
Take a second to pause if a message suddenly asks you to:
Change payment or banking information.
Share sensitive or confidential information.
Open an unfamiliar login page.
Download an unexpected attachment.
Bypass a normal business process.
Act with unusual speed or secrecy.
Context is important. If a vendor you’ve known for five years suddenly sends new banking instructions, a well-written message alone shouldn’t be enough to approve the change. Double-check using contact details and steps you already trust.
Taking an extra minute to check can save you from bigger problems like a fake payment or a hacked account later.
Key point: Just because a message looks professional doesn’t mean you can trust it. Focus on what it’s asking you to do.
AI Vampires: Be Careful What You Invite Inside
According to vampire mythology, a vampire can’t come into your home unless you invite it. AI tools can cause similar issues.
Employees now use AI apps that can summarize documents, create content, analyze data, answer questions, take meeting notes, and manage repetitive tasks. When used properly, these tools are very helpful.
Problems start when employees use AI apps that the company hasn’t checked or approved. This is called Shadow AI, a new version of the older Shadow IT issue. The AI tool doesn’t have to hack your network to get sensitive data; someone might give it access.
An employee trying to save time might paste client details into an AI tool for a summary. Others might upload financial data for analysis, meeting notes for organization, company documents for editing, or sensitive project information to help write a report.
The employee probably means well. But before putting business information into an AI system, your company needs to know what happens to that data next.
Ask:
Where does the information go?
Is it stored?
Who can access it?
How can the provider use it?
Has this tool been approved for this type of information?
If no one knows the answers, it’s a good idea to pause before using the tool any further. Blocking every AI tool isn’t the solution either. Employees need clear rules about what they can use, not just a list of what’s off-limits.
A useful AI policy doesn't need to be complicated. At minimum, employees should know which tools are approved, what types of information they can and can't enter, whether new tools need approval, and who to ask when they're unsure.
For example, a business might approve certain AI tools for summarizing internal documents while prohibiting employees from uploading client financial information or other sensitive data. The goal is to give employees clear boundaries before they face the decision themselves.
Key point: Make sure employees know which AI tools are approved and what information they can or can’t share with them.
Don’t Train Employees to Become AI Detectives
All three monsters have a common theme. A fake executive can sound real, a phishing email can look professional, and an AI app can seem helpful and legitimate. So, what happens as those disguises continue getting better?
Businesses shouldn’t expect every employee to become an expert at spotting AI-generated content. Instead, set up processes that work even when the disguise is convincing.
At your next leadership, IT, or cybersecurity meeting, ask four questions and write down anything that needs a clear owner or follow-up:
How do we independently verify sensitive requests such as payment, password, or account changes?
Do employees understand that polished emails, calls, video, and messages can still be fraudulent?
Which AI tools are employees approved to use for business purposes?
What information should never be entered into an unapproved AI tool?
You can use these questions as a quick AI security check. If leadership, IT, and employees give different answers, start there. Inconsistent answers usually point to a process, policy, or training gap worth addressing.
It’s much easier to fix these issues before someone falls for a convincing fake.
The Best Defense Against AI Monsters Is a Process That Doesn’t Care About the Costume
AI will keep improving. Voices will sound more real, messages will look more legitimate, and the tools will get even better. Both businesses and cybercriminals will find new uses for them. That’s why your cybersecurity plan can’t rely only on spotting fakes.
Set up authentication steps for sensitive requests. Teach employees to question anything unusual, not just bad grammar. Make clear rules about using AI tools and handling sensitive information.
Make sure your process is stronger than any disguise. When a cybercriminal tries to trick you, employees shouldn’t have to guess what’s real.
They should already know what process to follow.
And unlike garlic, this strategy keeps working long after Halloween.