Bharti Airtel, Zscaler launch AI and Cyber Threat Research Centre

Joint venture to identify and prevent potential cyber, AI threats targeting critical national infrastructure

Telecom firm Bharti Airtel, India’s second-largest carrier, and United States-based enterprise Cloud-security provider Zscaler on Friday launched an AI (artificial intelligence) and Cyber Threat Research Centre — India, which will identify and flag potential digital threats aimed at industries and government assets critical for economic and national security. 

The digital initiative of the two will focus on detecting and preventing cyber threats and building resilience across areas of telecommunication, banking, and energy, as well as digital users, while pushing the case for adopting AI across India’s digital ecosystem. 

“The threat surface is growing exponentially, in every aspect, especially when AI is now being used explicitly by bad actors. It is only with AI-based technology that we can counter the threats and protect our networks and the threats our connected enterprises face in our country. The threat quotient is even higher in government entities,” Sunil Mittal, chairman, Bharti Enterprises, the holding company of Bharti Airtel, said at the launch of the research centre. 

To be funded by Airtel and Zscaler, the centre will be open for taking on board more enterprises, government agencies, and academic institutions, as it builds solutions to identify cyber threats that can take down a banking system or disrupt transportation. 

The centre will use Zscaler’s teams and solutions, while Airtel will contribute with visibility into IoT (Internet of Things) and mobile traffic, for monitoring networks and developing new solutions, enabling a faster identification of suspicious activities and more effective coordination with ecosystem stakeholders. 

Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw said a new legal framework for cyber security was needed since AI would change the nature of cyber threats and to counter that industry at large should take cyber security as a top priority.  “Major information-technology companies should look at a totally new way of countering cyber threats,” the minister said.