Microsoft

is offering a free cybersecurity program to European governments to enhance their defences against cyber threats. The program, which was launched recently, includes safety against cyberattacks that are amplified by artificial intelligence (AI). This initiative comes after a recent increase in cyberattacks across Europe, many of which have been linked to state-sponsored actors from countries such as China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia. The program's objective is to boost intelligence-sharing specifically concerning AI-based threats. It also aims to help these countries with the prevention and disruption of these attacks. In an interview with the news agency Reuters,

Microsoft President Brad Smith

revealed how the company is planning to offer its services to these European governments to safeguard against cyberattacks.

In the Reuters interview, Smith said: “If we can bring more to Europe of what we have developed in the United States, that will strengthen cybersecurity protection for more European institutions. You're going to see other things we are doing later in the month.”He noted that attackers are increasingly using generative AI to expand the scale and impact of their operations, from disrupting critical infrastructure to spreading disinformation. However, Smith added that while AI has been weaponised by malicious actors, it also offers valuable defensive capabilities.

“We don't feel that we have seen AI that has evaded our ability to detect the use of AI or the threats more broadly. Our goal needs to be to keep AI advancing as a defensive tool faster than it advances as an offensive weapon,” he highlighted.Smith continued, saying audio has, so far, been easier to fake than video. He also confirmed that Microsoft monitors the use of its AI models for any malicious activity and restricts access to known cybercriminals. Notable examples of AI-driven deepfakes include a 2022 video falsely showing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy surrendering to Russia, and a fake audio clip in 2023 that influenced the Slovakian election.