8 Questions to Ask Your Security Vendors About AI

The rapid integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into cybersecurity solutions has created both opportunities and challenges. AI-driven systems promise advanced threat detection, automation, and adaptability, but as a buyer, how can you make sure you're choosing the right AI-powered tools? Here are a few key questions to ask your security vendors to evaluate their AI capabilities effectively.

AI-native solutions are built with AI at their core, making them inherently designed for advanced threat detection, adaptability, and performance. In contrast, "bolted-on" AI may involve superficial features added to traditional tools for the sake of marketing buzz rather than functionality.

Why it matters: A bolted-on AI system might not deliver the efficiency or sophistication you’re expecting. Vendors should clearly articulate how AI improves their product and how it integrates seamlessly with their architecture.

Key follow-up question: How has AI improved the core capabilities of your solution compared to traditional methods?

Understanding how an AI system makes decisions is crucial for building trust. The concept of a “black box” AI—where the inner workings are opaque—raises concerns about accountability and interpretability. Look for vendors who provide clear explanations or tools for interpreting AI outputs.

Why it matters: Transparency ensures that your team can identify the system's strengths and limitations and detect errors or biases in its decisions.

Key follow-up question: How do you ensure stakeholders can interpret the AI’s outputs, and what tools are available for audit or inspection?

AI systems can unintentionally introduce risks, such as biases in decision-making or vulnerabilities to attacks like data poisoning. Vendors should have proactive measures to mitigate these issues and demonstrate a commitment to responsible AI practices.

Why it matters: Unchecked biases can lead to unfair or ineffective decisions, while poorly secured AI systems may become a target for cybercriminals.

Key follow-up questions:

• What steps do you take to detect and mitigate biases in your AI systems?

• Have your systems been tested for vulnerabilities like adversarial attacks or data poisoning?

While AI systems are powerful, they shouldn’t operate in isolation. Effective solutions combine the speed and precision of AI with the critical thinking and domain expertise of humans. Vendors should explain how their tools allow for human oversight and intervention.

Why it matters: Human oversight ensures that errors or unexpected behaviors can be caught and corrected, providing an additional layer of security.

Key follow-up question: What mechanisms do you have for ensuring human oversight, and how do users interact with the AI system in real-time?

Cyber threats evolve rapidly, and your AI solutions must keep pace. Vendors need to demonstrate how their tools can scale with your organization’s needs and adapt to emerging attack vectors.

Why it matters: A solution that can’t grow with your organization or address future challenges will quickly become obsolete.

Key follow-up question: What is your roadmap for updates, and how do you plan to address evolving threats?

Testing is essential for ensuring the reliability and effectiveness of AI systems. Vendors should use robust evaluation methods, such as benchmarks and red teaming, to validate their tools.

Why it matters: Rigorous testing helps identify potential weaknesses and ensures that the AI system performs well in real-world scenarios.

Key follow-up question: Can you provide performance metrics or results from recent testing, such as benchmarks or red team evaluations?

AI systems often rely on vast amounts of data, including sensitive user information. Vendors should comply with privacy regulations and employ ethical practices in data handling and usage.

Why it matters: Mishandling data can result in regulatory penalties, reputational damage, and a loss of trust from customers and employees.

Key follow-up question: How do you secure user data, and what steps do you take to ensure compliance with privacy laws?

AI systems are only as effective as the teams that use them. Vendors should offer resources and training to ensure your team can confidently deploy and manage the solution.

Why it matters: Training helps your team fully leverage the AI’s capabilities while building trust and understanding among stakeholders.

Key follow-up question: What training and resources do you provide to ensure our team can effectively use and trust the AI solution?

These questions go beyond the surface to help you evaluate the depth and reliability of AI-powered cybersecurity solutions. By engaging vendors in detailed discussions, you can uncover how their systems operate, their approach to risk mitigation, and the level of transparency they provide. This proactive approach allows you to assess whether their AI tools align with your organization's specific security challenges and compliance requirements. By asking the right questions, you not only make informed purchasing decisions but also build trust in the technology that safeguards your assets.

At Abnormal, we're ready to answer all of your AI-related questions. Schedule a demo today!