Few technologies have dominated the C-suite debate and boardroom discussions as much as the substantial, tangible productivity improvements brought by Artificial Intelligence (AI). The enthusiasm is understandable: productivity gains are real, and the possibilities seem endless. However, from my perspective as Chief Information Officer, every technological advancement brings both excitement and caution. For every streamlined process, new vulnerabilities arise, and that is a conversation we must prioritise urgently.
Take AI-powered chatbots. They enhance customer engagement and reduce response times, but they also open channels for sophisticated phishing attacks. Malicious actors are learning to manipulate these systems to extract sensitive data. Similarly, automation improves efficiency but creates new points of failure. A ransomware attack on an automated supply chain could halt operations overnight. Even the shift to cloud storage and remote work, celebrated for flexibility and scalability, expands the attack surface if access controls are weak or home networks are unsecured.
Innovation is indispensable, but every solution introduces risks that demand careful assessment. Rapid AI adoption exposes gaps in existing controls, leaving organisations vulnerable to manipulation. True resilience lies in recognising that technology’s evolution strengthens us while simultaneously exposing weaknesses that criminals exploit with alarming speed.
Our conversation on resilience must evolve as well. Risk management and response strategies need to be as agile as the technologies transforming our operations. Each innovation introduces unseen vulnerabilities, and acknowledging this reality is central to protecting enterprises in today’s complex threat landscape.
The digital world has always been paradoxical, a space of innovation and disruption. But something has changed. The threats are no longer static. Misinformation, cyber manipulation, and AI-enhanced deception are being weaponised with precision. In the Global South, we often respond to the symptoms rather than question the architects and their motives.
Reports such as the World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report may provide reassurance by ranking AI-driven risks as low in the short term. However, the swift pace of change makes complacency our greatest enemy. What appears minor today can escalate into a systemic crisis within months. In South Africa, this emerging risk landscape is increasingly linked with social instability. Protests, once regarded as spontaneous community actions, are now coordinated using technology by actors whose agility surpasses our traditional response systems. The lines between physical and digital threats are converging.
For insurers like Sasria, traditionally focused on civil unrest, this reality calls for a fundamental rethink. Cyber risk is no longer limited to IT departments; it also increases physical risk. This convergence defines the new normal, and our response must be equally integrated.we recognise that resilience today requires more than traditional insurance models. It demands digital agility, data-informed foresight, and collaboration across sectors. Using advanced analytics, we are detecting emerging risks earlier and adjusting our mitigation strategies proactively.
Harnessing real-time data and predictive modelling allows us to anticipate vulnerabilities, monitor evolving threat landscapes, and equip clients with insights that enhance preparedness. This transformation also shifts our role as an insurer. We are moving from being product providers to resilience partners, focusing more on risk prevention than claims settlement. The lessons from the 2021 unrest were instructive: we must anticipate clients’ questions before they arise and offer solutions that safeguard both their digital and physical assets.
The AI revolution is redefining resilience. Businesses and their insurers must adapt together or risk being overtaken by the pace of technological change. The question is not whether these risks will evolve; it is whether we will evolve quickly enough to meet them.
By Fiona Oakley-Smith
Fiona Oakley-Smith is the Chief Information Officer at Sasria SOC Limited, a state-owned company and the only short-term insurer that provides special risk cover to all individuals and businesses that own assets in South Africa.