- Google highlights growth, efficiency, and future-readiness as key to AI success.
- Drives innovation and sustainable AI adoption in business.
AI tools are now part of our daily lives, embedded in everything from social media to productivity apps. “Most of the apps we use daily now feature generative AI, shaping consumer behaviour and changing how we interact with tech,” explained Caroline Yap, Google’s Managing Director of Global AI Business & Applied Engineering, speaking at the recent Google Summit held in Singapore 22nd October.
Yap shared how Google Cloud is helping businesses embrace transformation. One big player in this shift is Vertex AI, Google’s machine learning platform that lets companies create and securely launch custom models. With tools like Agent Builder and Model Garden, businesses can find AI solutions that fit their unique needs.
MedLM, a set of AI models tailored exclusively for healthcare, is being used by Prudential PLC to improve the accuracy and speed of medical insurance claim decisions.
Prudential is one of the first insurers globally to use MedLM. Typically, healthcare providers use the model to streamline the work of doctors, hospitals, and other medical teams, making life easier for both healthcare workers and patients.
After running several proof-of-concept tests, Prudential found that MedLM doubled the rate of automated claim reviews and assessments, making claims more accurate and faster. This lets them handle more claims.
“Prudential’s early tests with MedLM show that generative AI can play a big role in tackling the growing number of health insurance claims, helping process them smoothly and reducing wait times for customers,” shared Arjan Toor, CEO of Health at Prudential PLC.
Tackling security challenges with AI
Whenever a new technology like AI hits the market, security becomes a major topic of discussion. Mark Johnston, Director of the Office of the Chief Security Information Officer (CSIO) at Google Cloud APAC, emphasised the strain on today’s security teams as cybercrime reaches new heights. “Cyberattacks are happening at unprecedented rates, and we’re challenged to respond effectively,” he shared.
While adding AI can bring new risks, Johnston believes it can also be a powerful weapon in defending against threats.
Using AI for a “defenders’ advantage”
One of the most compelling things about AI in security, Johnston said, is what he calls the “defenders’ advantage.” With machine learning, organisations can establish a baseline for their systems, making it easier for teams to detect anything unusual. “AI gives us the ability to view everything in our infrastructure in real-time, allowing us to understand normal operations better and spot potential threats quickly,” he explained.
AI-powered threat intelligence enables defenders to respond faster and scale their efforts more efficiently, thereby helping level the playing field with attackers. “In this way, attackers have to get it right just once, but we, as defenders, have an ongoing advantage,” he said.
How Google is using AI in cybersecurity
Johnston shared some real-world examples of how Google leverages AI to bolster security:
- Code security: Earlier this year, Google applied large language models (LLMs) to code security, focusing on spotting vulnerabilities in code sanitisation. The AI identified and patched about 15% of weaknesses. “This AI application allowed us to reallocate human resources to more challenging problems,” Johnston said.
- Incident reporting: Generative AI also proved valuable in incident reporting, cutting documentation time by 51%. “We want our cyber defenders focused on keeping systems secure, not bogged down in paperwork,” he said. Despite the time savings, Johnston claimed AI-generated reports were as good as, if not better than, human-written ones.
The challenge of integrating AI securely
While AI has much to offer in cybersecurity, Johnston cautioned that it must be integrated carefully to avoid creating new vulnerabilities. Protecting sensitive financial, personal, and proprietary data is essential, and companies must ensure they aren’t accidentally exposing this information through AI. Google’s Secure AI Framework (SAIF) aims to guide organisations in secure AI use, covering everything from data governance to risk management.
“AI has to be used responsibly,” Johnston said. “We’re not just delivering products; we’re offering a roadmap to help businesses manage their software, data, and operational risks.”
The importance of data governance and model security
Strong data governance is essential for using AI securely. Johnston pointed out that having structured data and solid governance policies allows organisations to harness AI fully without putting sensitive information at risk. He suggested the use ofGoogle’s Vertex, which includes a sensitive data protection module and provides real-time security for data used in AI training.
When it comes to securing the models themselves, Google has built safeguards against unauthorised access to model weights and other sensitive features of AI systems. “We’ve created a mechanism to validate AI models, which helps prevent model theft and ensures data integrity,” Johnston said.
Want to learn more about AI and big data from industry leaders? Check out AI & Big Data Expo taking place in Amsterdam, California, and London. The comprehensive event is co-located with other leading events including Intelligent Automation Conference, BlockX, Digital Transformation Week, and Cyber Security & Cloud Expo.
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