The opening keynote at Black Hat 2023 focused on the impact of large language models (LLMs) powered by artificial intelligence (AI) on the cybersecurity industry and the broader ecosystem. The presenter highlighted the significant investments made by tech giants Google and Microsoft in AI, with Microsoft alone investing a staggering $13 billion so far.
The size of these investments raises questions about the rush to market AI technology. Despite experts, governments, and industry commentators urging caution and advocating for a slower adoption of AI by society, companies like Google and Microsoft are pushing forward. This raises the question of why these companies are investing such large sums of money and whether they are motivated by a desire to lead the future search market.
While AI has various applications, the presenter specifically focused on its use in video conferencing, where AI can analyze video, audio, and shared materials to provide detailed meeting summaries. This level of capability could be a driving factor behind the substantial investments in AI. However, it also raises concerns about the potential de-monetization of the internet for content providers.
Traditionally, search engines like Google and Bing index content and use algorithms to deliver the most relevant search results on their search engine results pages (SERPs). These SERPs typically include a few sponsored ads at the top. For content producers who rely on monetization, either through advertising or paywalls, search traffic plays a critical role in driving revenue.
However, the advent of large language models in AI could disrupt this monetization model. When an LLM becomes responsible for delivering search results, it can generate a human-like answer to a search query by drawing from a vast amount of accessible content. This means that instead of presenting a list of search results, the LLM delivers a single answer, bypassing the need for users to click through to other websites. As a result, content creators are unable to monetize their work, leading to potential financial struggles.
This issue becomes even more significant when considering the dominance of search engine providers like Google and Microsoft. The search market is valued at $225 billion per year, making any impact within this industry significant. By replacing traditional SERPs with a single answer, search engine providers can retain all the traffic and monetize it directly through advertisements.
Similar implications have already been observed with news content displayed directly on SERPs or social media pages. Although the content source is attributed, users do not need to visit the original news site, resulting in a lack of advertising or paywall traffic. In response, the Canadian Government has introduced legislation to protect news content creators, requiring platforms using the content to negotiate compensation for the creators.
Expanding this issue to all types of content without proper attribution could lead to financial struggles for many content providers, particularly those with niche content. Without sufficient funding, content providers may stop producing high-quality information, resulting in less reliable search results in the future.
The implications of this de-monetization issue extend to cybersecurity as well. A lack of funding for website owners may lead to neglected software updates and inadequate site security. Additionally, if query results generated by LLMs become unreliable, trust issues can arise. Moreover, cybercriminals could exploit LLMs by publishing their own content to manipulate search results.
It is crucial to consider the plight of content creators in the transition to AI-driven search technologies. Ensuring a sustainable source of income for content creators is vital to maintaining the integrity and accuracy of information on the internet. Without proper financial support, the internet risks becoming a less reliable source of factual information.
As AI continues to advance and shape the future, it is essential for tech companies, governments, and industry stakeholders to carefully consider the implications of AI on content monetization and cybersecurity. Finding a balance between technological advancement and supporting content creators will be key in fostering a secure and trustworthy digital environment.