Bart Preneel

 

Keynote: Cybersecurity and AI: A match made in heaven?

Time: Wednesday 11 May, 4.00pm – 4.45pm

Defending our digital world requires the analysis of large and complex data sets. AI can come the rescue as it can automate tedious tasks by identifying patterns in these data sets and block attacks in real-time. There are concerns over the robustness of AI techniques: can they resist clever attackers that try to bypass them? For this purpose, attackers may also use powerful AI tools – will this lead to a future war of the AIs? AI will also change our approach to privacy. As an example, ubiquitous automated face recognition in public spaces is feasible today. But should we also deploy it? Digital technologies have become so powerful that we need to shift our thinking from what is possible to what is desirable. Answering these difficult questions is essential to shape our secure future.

About Bart Preneel

Bart Preneel is a full professor at the KU Leuven where he heads the COSIC research group. Bart Preneel has authored more than 400 scientific publications and is inventor of 5 patents. His main research interests are cryptography, information security and privacy. He has served as president of the IACR and is chairman of the Board of LSEC. He is a member of the Advisory Group of ENISA and of the Academia Europaea. He has been invited speaker at more than 120 conferences in 50 countries. In 2021 he received Computable’s IT Person of the year award. He frequently consults for industry and government about security and privacy technologies.