• AI lowers barriers for cybercrime, with attack tools now sold as a service.

• Experts urge African countries to boost local data and AI ethics to build resilience.

• Cybersecurity must evolve from a speed race to a long-term strategic effort.

At the 2025 Cyber Africa Forum in Cotonou, experts highlighted how artificial intelligence is both a powerful tool and a growing threat to cybersecurity. During the panel titled “Artificial Intelligence and Digital Resilience: Promise or Vulnerability?”, speakers warned that AI is making it easier than ever for anyone to become a cybercriminal.

“Cybercrime groups have set up platforms that allow anyone to launch an attack. Anyone in this room could become a cybercriminal. You want to run a phishing scam? You pay. You want to scan for vulnerabilities? You pay. They do not launch attacks themselves. They simply earn money by giving people like you and me access to these tools,” explained Jean-Claude Sigui, president of Côte d’Ivoire’s Club DSI and former IT Director for West and Central Africa at Willis Towers Watson.

The risks linked to AI in keeping cyberspace safe are well known. A report by the World Economic Forum (WEF) in January 2025 confirmed that AI has lowered entry barriers for criminals who lacked technical expertise in the past. According to the WEF’s study titled “Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity: Balancing Risks and Rewards,” automated phishing powered by large language models (LLMs) can cut attack costs by more than 95%, while maintaining or even improving success rates.

Faced with this new reality, experts are calling for AI to become a core part of Africa’s national cybersecurity strategies. Dr. Maximilien Kpodjedo, digital advisor to the President of Benin, stressed that AI amplifies existing systems, both good and bad. To use it effectively and ethically, he believes Africa must invest in data collection, infrastructure, and training local data scientists.

“Right now, less than 2% of the data used to train AI reflects local realities. That means 98% of the data shaping AI solutions comes from elsewhere. We must work hard to catch up and, ideally, take the lead. Ethical AI will help us build a resilient digital ecosystem,” he said.

Experts also urged a change in how cyber threats are addressed. Traditionally, cybersecurity was seen as a speed race where those quickest to deploy solutions were best protected. But with AI, cybersecurity has become more of a long-distance race, said Sigui, who believes it must now be treated at a strategic level with real-time adaptability.

“We must stay alert and be ready to rebuild infrastructure as quickly as possible in case of an attack,” he added.

Other speakers agreed, saying the challenge is now both a race of speed and endurance, requiring constant preparation. This approach has already been laid out as a roadmap for African leaders attending the forum.