Artificial intelligence has become the new norm in businesses worldwide. Its ability to automate tasks, collect data, and work 24/7 makes it one of the most exciting industries in 2025.

In particular, AI is proving to be an invaluable asset in cybersecurity. AI tools work proactively to contain new cyberattacks on a near-constant basis. They also help streamline trivial tasks with high accuracy. Best of all, businesses can enjoy 24/7 security from various online threats.

But cybersecurity is ever-changing, and AI is still in its infancy. Knowing what tools and services you should invest in can be tricky. There are also a host of challenges employers must address to maximize AI's potential.

With that said, let's look at what key areas AI will offer the biggest rewards in 2025 - and what you need to consider.

3 ways AI can improve your cybersecurity

Cybersecurity should be one of the most critical parts of any online business. By 2028, it's estimated that cybercrime will cost over $13.8 trillion worldwide. New threats are developed daily, which can and will threaten all your hard work and effort.

Thankfully, AI has huge potential to bridge gaps in cybersecurity. Below, you will find three key areas in which you can leverage AI to protect your business.

1. AI helps with early threat detection

In cybersecurity, time is of the essence. Hackers typically will have a head start when launching an attack. It's up to developers to find new ways to speed up reaction times to limit potential damage.

AI is becoming one of the best ways to identify attacks in a fraction of the time. The technology can analyze suspicious code and compare it to known threats. From this, developers can spend their time fixing the issue at hand.

Take zero-day vulnerabilities, for example. These are known weaknesses in systems and software that have yet to be addressed. Even when patched, these vulnerabilities can still be major threats to a business. Google research found that in 2022, over 40% of zero-day exploits were variants of previously reported vulnerabilities.

AI technology can easily detect zero-day vulnerabilities. It can analyze huge volumes of data in seconds and condense reports in real time. Before a business releases a product, it can test code for potential bugs. It can also use information from previous vulnerabilities to predict future variants.

2. AI protects online activity in real time

Traditional cybersecurity tools are often reactive. They only spring to life once a threat has already presented itself. Playing catch-up means hackers may get what they want before you can fight back.

As the rate of cyberattacks increases, the ability to protect yourself 24/7 becomes vital. Through AI, businesses can now identify threats as they happen. Take session hijacking attacks as a key example.

This modern type of cyberattack targets a user's online activity after they have logged in. Rather than stealing logins or passwords, session hijacking uses the browser itself as a means to assume control of an account.

As sophisticated and deadly as this kind of attack seems, new technological solutions can easily detect and prevent it. Threat prevention services like NordStellar offer advanced session hijacking prevention. Using trained algorithms, they can scan the dark web for stolen session cookies and invalid hijacked sessions, helping businesses prevent hostile takeovers.

3. AI streamlines security by automating repetitive tasks

A core benefit of AI is that it can automate trivial tasks at record speed, allowing skilled employees to focus on higher-priority tasks around the business.

In cybersecurity, AI can take over tedious tasks like data collection and log analysis. Such tasks were traditionally time-consuming and susceptible to human error. Now, AI can ingest, examine, and condense vast information with high accuracy.

Security teams can configure AI to take action if and when it detects anomalies. AI can contain suspicious files or code, quarantining it for human review. This capability can speed up reaction times and help mitigate potential breaches.

The challenges to consider when using AI in cybersecurity

Despite its many uses, there are limitations to implementing AI in cybersecurity. Only by addressing these can a business reap the full rewards of the technology:

1. A lack of training limits AI adoption

One limitation of AI adoption is addressing the noticeable skills shortage. Research from HR firm Randstad found that while up to 75% of businesses adopt AI, only 35% of staff receive training.

They also found huge discrepancies across demographics and opportunities for personal development. The lesson is that employees must feel empowered to work with AI. Only then can you enjoy the vast benefits of this technology.

2. Incorrect or biased data can lead to false positives

AI is only as effective as the data it is trained upon. Organizations like the US Department of Commerce have warned of the dangers untrustworthy data poses to AI technologies.

In cybersecurity, hackers can pollute datasets to render systems obsolete. This can cause systems to mistake genuine users as threats and lead to uncertain or unpredictable actions. As such, businesses should only use service providers that use correct learning models.

The future of cybersecurity is in AI

Without question, AI is set to become a key disruptor in cybersecurity. Its ability to detect threats makes it invaluable to any online business. And how it streamlines security tasks can boost efficiency and reduce costs across the board.

That said, it's always worth remembering that the human touch is vital. Employees must be well-trained to use AI tools to maximize their effectiveness. Furthermore, choose the right service providers to ensure that the data models offer the best protections.