According to Kaspersky’s latest findings, AI is highly appreciated among travellers for saving time, finding personalised recommendations and budget-saving offers. However, data security risks awareness is also high, which security experts call a good sign.
Kaspersky global research* revealed what drives active AI users to charge chatbots and AI-powered tools with the important responsibility of travel planning and how they estimate the security of such services. The survey shows that the primary motivation for turning to AI in travel planning is to save time and simplify preparation, with 76% of users surveyed in South Africa pointing out these benefits. Other advantages of AI in travelling noted by South African respondents included searches for information about the main attractions in the chosen location (73%), and personalised recommendations tailored to individual preferences (63%). Additionally, 70% leverage AI to find the most favourable offers, while 69% trust it to uncover information that would otherwise be hard to find.
In fact, nowadays with the help of AI, an individual travel itinerary, matching all the requests and budget of a particular traveler, can be created in just a few clicks. However, information provided by chatbots always needs to be double checked. There have already been several instances where tourists encountered issues because they trusted AI too much and did not conduct their own research for the trip.
What is more, not only the information, but even links provided by AI need to be checked, as there may be malicious and phishing links among them. Before clicking on a link from an AI chatbot it is recommended to check it with a cybersecurity solution, such as Kaspersky Premium, empowered with phishing detection.
AI and Security
Apart from setting a route and searching for information, AI in travel planning in many cases is also responsible for booking hotels and even tickets, which inevitably requires sharing personal data. The Kaspersky global survey revealed that not all travellers are ready to entrust AI with their personal information.
Over half (53%) of respondents from South Africa see security risks in AI usage and try not to share any sensitive data with it. Together with those, 34% who do not have many security concerns about AI still try to be careful while working with it. 87% of those who use AI for travel planning think about data security while working with these tools. Only 14% of travellers are confident that sharing any data with AI is totally secure.
According to the survey, travellers in Spain, the United Kingdom, Indonesia, Malaysia, and South Africa express the greater concerns about AI-related risks, while those in China, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia in contrast display higher confidence in the security of AI systems.
“The survey highlights a noteworthy level of caution among travellers who use AI, which is a promising sign. A rational attitude is crucial for any type of online interactions, especially when we talk about personal data sharing. After all, your ’private’ conversations with AI can still be exposed to cyber threats, or a favourable offer discovered by a chatbot may turn out to be nothing more than a scam. This doesn’t mean you should abandon these digital tools altogether. Instead, stay mindful, avoid oversharing personal information, and think carefully while choosing which task you can assign to the AI. By doing so, AI-powered services can evolve into reliable assistants that help you tackle a wide range of challenges safely and effectively,” comments Vladislav Tushkanov, Group Manager at Kaspersky AI Technology Research Center.
Kaspersky shares several tips on how to stay safe while interacting with AI:
- Avoid sharing personal data with AI assistants: ID, address, passwords, or any other sensitive details. Be very selective with the resources and where you upload them.
- Perform all important actions and decisions (sending emails, making purchases, booking, etc.) yourself. Assign the AI assistant only to routine tasks.
- Verify links and emails AI gives you. Use a reliable security solution to check all URLs, block suspicious resources, and secure your online payments.
- If you choose AI as your main travel assistant, make sure you have stable Internet connection while staying abroad. Consider using an eSIM to have constant mobile data access.
- Do not link your main accounts with confidential data to the chatbot or any other AI powered service.
