South Korea Investigates Possible Use of A.I. in Hackings on Its Banks
South Korean officials are investigating whether artificial intelligence agents were involved in recent hacking incidents against banks in the country.President Lee Jae Myung said on Tuesday that “signs have emerged” that A.I.models had been used in some of the cyberattacks, “causing considerable public concern and anxiety.”He told his cabinet to confirm what had happened “swiftly and clearly,” and to deploy personnel and resources to minimize the damage.
No details were provided about who was behind the hackings.The National Office of Investigation has started an inquiry into several cyberattacks against financial companies, including Hana Bank, KB Kookmin Bank and Shinhan Bank, in which customer information had been leaked, Yonhap News Agency reported.Shinhan Bank said in a statement last week that the personal credit information of about 25,000 people had been leaked.Separately, Hana Bank said that the information of 89 customers was leaked, while Kookmin said that, in its case, 99 customers and 20 current or former employees were affected.South Korea has benefited from the global A.I.
boom: Its monthly semiconductor exports hit a record-breaking $60.3 billion in September, more than triple compared to the same period last year, according to the government.And the nation’s gross domestic product has gone up because of it.However, anxiety surrounding A.I.
has sent the Korean stock market on a roller-coaster ride.The nation’s benchmark Kospi index, which doubled in the first half of this year, fell quickly during the summer over concerns about the technology.Countries around the world are grappling with the increasing abilities of A.I.
agents, raising alarm about the pace of their development and whether laws are ready for the challenges posed by the fast-evolving technology.“It’s now become possible to use A.I.to hack with ease even without specialized skills,” Mr.
Lee said at the meeting, which was livestreamed.Last month, Australian...