Why cybersecurity must grow with AI

DAR ES SLAAM: TANZANIA is becoming more digital every day. Mobile phones are increasingly used to send money, pay bills, access government services, run businesses and support education and healthcare.

Companies are moving data and operations to the cloud, while Artificial Intelligence (AI) is beginning to influence how organisations make decisions and serve customers.

This transformation creates opportunities for productivity, innovation and economic growth.

But as more economic and social activity moves online, the potential cost of cyber threats also increases.

That makes the theme of the Vodacom Cyber Security Summit 2026, held in Dar es Salaam on September 4, particularly relevant: “Securing Tanzania’s Digital Future: Innovation, Resilience and Trust in the AI Era.”

As Tanzania moves towards a more digital economy, cybersecurity can no longer be treated simply as an information technology issue.

It is increasingly a matter of business continuity, consumer confidence, financial security and national economic resilience.

Innovation needs security

Digital innovation is advancing rapidly across Tanzania. Small businesses can receive payments electronically, while banks, mobile money providers and government institutions increasingly deliver services online.

AI is accelerating this transformation by helping organisations analyse information, automate processes, detect unusual transactions, improve customer service and support faster decisions.

But every new digital service can create another entry point for cybercriminals.

The more connected an organisation becomes, the greater the need to protect the systems, data and networks supporting that connectivity. Digital investment therefore cannot be separated from security investment.

Cybersecurity needs to be built into digital projects from the beginning rather than treated as an additional measure after systems become operational.

AI changes the threat landscape AI can strengthen cybersecurity by helping teams identify suspicious behaviour, analyse threats and respond more quickly. But the same technology can give criminals new capabilities.

AI can make fraudulent messages more convincing and produce realistic fake voices, images and videos.

Criminals can use these tools to impersonate managers, business partners, relatives or public officials and persuade victims to disclose information or transfer money.

For businesses handling payments and sensitive customer information, this creates a growing risk.

Unusual instructions and transactions increasingly require independent verification. Organisations therefore need to treat AI not only as a productivity tool but also as an emerging cybersecurity risk requiring appropriate controls and governance.

Cybersecurity protects trust

Trust is fundamental to the digital economy. People use mobile money because they expect their money to reach the intended recipient, while customers use online banking expecting their accounts and personal information to remain secure. When that confidence is damaged, adoption of digital services can suffer.

Cybersecurity therefore protects more than computers and networks. It protects the confidence on which digital transactions depend.

A serious cyber incident can interrupt operations, cause financial losses, expose customer information and damage reputation. Cybersecurity should consequently be discussed at board and executive level alongside financial and operational risks.

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From security to resilience

Prevention remains central, but organisations must also prepare for the possibility that an attack will succeed.

The critical questions are whether an organisation can identify an incident quickly, continue essential operations, restore systems and recover without prolonged disruption.

That is the role of cyber resilience. Organisations need strong authentication, updated systems, secure networks and trained employees, alongside reliable backups, tested incident-response plans and businesscontinuity arrangements.

Security asks how an attack can be stopped. Resilience asks how quickly an organisation can recover if it succeeds.

People remain critical

Technology may be central to cybersecurity, but people remain one of its most important lines of defence.

Many attacks depend on deceiving an individual into clicking a malicious link, revealing a password, sharing a verification code or approving an unusual transaction.

People should avoid sharing passwords and PINs, use multifactor authentication, keep devices updated, be cautious with unexpected links and independently verify unusual requests involving money or sensitive information.

Urgency should also be treated as a warning sign. Fraudsters often pressure victims by claiming an account will be closed or a payment must be made immediately.

Taking time to verify such requests can prevent costly mistakes.

Cybersecurity starts at the top

Boards and senior executives should regularly assess critical information and systems, the consequences of disruption, the security of backups and the organisation’s ability to respond to an attack.

AI adds another governance challenge. Organisations need clear rules on how employees use AI tools, what business or customer information can be entered into them, how AI-generated information is verified and who remains accountable for decisions supported by AI.

The objective should not be to slow innovation, but to ensure that innovation develops within appropriate security and governance frameworks.

A shared national responsibility

No single organisation can secure Tanzania’s digital future. Telecommunications companies, banks, government institutions, technology firms, universities, cybersecurity professionals and individual users all have a role to play.

Cybercriminals operate across borders and share techniques rapidly. Defenders therefore need stronger cooperation, information sharing, skills development and coordinated responses to emerging threats.

The Vodacom Cyber Security Summit can help stakeholders exchange knowledge and develop practical responses, but the discussion must continue beyond conferences.

Tanzania’s digital transformation will accelerate, and AI will become increasingly embedded in businesses, public services and everyday life.

That progress will only be sustainable if investment in innovation is matched by investment in security, resilience and trust. Tanzania does not have to choose between innovation and cybersecurity.

The two must develop together. Ultimately, a sustainable digital economy requires not only the ability to innovate, but also the ability to protect, withstand and recover from the risks that innovation creates.

There can be no lasting digital future without digital trust.