Artificial intelligence and its potential impact on the cybersecurity industry will be a central theme at this year's RSA conference in San Francisco, from hundreds of panels and talks to often quirky exhibits in the exhibit hall. Masu.
Tens of thousands of data security experts, business moguls, educators, government leaders, privacy advocates and more gathered at the city's Moscone Center to check out the latest cybersecurity techniques and trends. About 650 people are scheduled to speak at more than 400 panels, talks and other sessions by the time it ends Thursday afternoon.
Let's take a look at what's happening now:
Mayorkas says safe and secure deployment of AI is key for critical infrastructure
May 7, 2024 8:30am
Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas said the Department of Homeland Security will work with the technology industry to ensure that AI is deployed in a way that protects the rights and safety of Americans and maintains the critical infrastructure that runs the country. He said he is focusing on.
In his morning RSA keynote and subsequent roundtable with journalists, Mayorkas said he was optimistic about what could be accomplished with the recently established AI Safety Commission.
The group, led by Mayorkas, will meet for the first time on Monday to advise the federal government on how best to protect the nation's most critical services from AI-related attacks.
The conference brings together government and technology companies at the forefront of AI development such as Google, Microsoft, and OpenAI, as well as executives from critical infrastructure companies such as Delta Air Lines and Northrop Grumman, and civil and privacy rights leaders. To do.
The group's goal is ultimately to establish guidelines and create a national plan for safely and securely deploying AI.
As part of the effort, the federal government is recruiting technology experts and others with AI-related skills to come to the federal government. Thousands of people have already applied, although Mayorkas admits he can't compete with big tech companies in terms of pay.
Mayorkas said, “The voice of a public servant is a representative voice, and it represents millions of people,'' Mayorkas said, noting that decisions made by public servants affect millions of people as well. did.
“It's a big responsibility and a great opportunity.”
Blinken says technology and security must play a leading role in diplomacy
May 6, 2024, 3:55 PM Pacific Time
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said technology and its security role are becoming an increasingly important part of global diplomacy as the distinction between the digital and physical worlds continues to fade.
“Security, stability and prosperity are no longer just analog issues,” Blinken said in his keynote address at the RSA conference, adding that the choices security professionals make today “will reverberate for generations.” .
In a wide-ranging speech, Blinken spoke of the need for the United States to be a leader in everything from semiconductor production and training of high-tech talent to setting the rules for developing cutting-edge technologies such as AI and quantum computing. .
He noted that if a potentially dangerous technology like genomic surveillance were to be controlled by a rival country of the United States, its misuse could become commonplace and cause irreparable harm.
Blinken also said that promoting and protecting democracy around the world continues to depend on the engagement of U.S. tech companies, especially the security industry. He pointed to the assistance many U.S. companies gave to Ukraine to strengthen networks and enhance communications before and after Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
wargaming legacy
May 6, 2024 at 3:00 PM Pacific Time
Monday afternoon's keynote began with a surprise appearance by actor Matthew Broderick, who gained attention for playing a teenage hacker in the 1980s cult classic “War Games.”
Broderick said the film's plot, in which his character accidentally hacks into a military supercomputer while searching for a new video game, may seem absurd to today's security experts. He said that prompted then-President Ronald Reagan to convene his Cabinet. Congress and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff will discuss whether such a thing could actually happen.
What President Reagan discovered, Broderick said, was that the problem was much deeper than that. Ultimately, President Reagan's interest in the film is believed to have contributed to the creation of the first presidential directive on computer security.
This article will be updated with further coverage from RSA throughout the week.
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