Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the online world, sometimes in ways that make scams more convincing than ever. From realistic emails to cloned voices and fake videos, digital deception is evolving fast. So how can you stay safe in the age of AI?

On The Real BS About AI, UNLV cybersecurity professional Maxine joins hosts Bob Soulliere and Alethea Inns to share simple, practical ways that help you spot phishing and other AI-generated scams, protect your data, and use AI responsibly, just in time for Cybersecurity Awareness Month.

Watch Episode 5: Cybersecurity, AI, and the Art of Staying One Step Ahead

“Security is no longer about locking the front door,” Inns said. “It's about realizing there are no doors. Every click, every upload, every prompt you enter is part of your digital footprint."

Maxine, Soulliere, and Inns remind viewers that cybersecurity is everybody’s responsibility. To help, they share real-life examples you might encounter and how to identify the red flags for each one.

4 Cybersecurity Habits That Make A Big Difference

• Pause before you click: Check for secure “https://” links, look for misspellings, and be skeptical of overly urgent messages.
• Protect your accounts: Use a password manager, create unique passwords for every site, and turn on multifactor authentication (MFA). "MFA is like having a deadbolt. Sure, it takes an extra second to unlock, but it stops most break-ins cold,” Inns said.
• Minimize your digital footprint: Be intentional about what you share online. Limit public photos, voice samples, and location sharing.
• Stay informed: Keep up with trusted sources like Stay Safe Online, Dark Reading, and Krebs on Security to learn about emerging threats and tools.

When it comes to AI and cybersecurity, awareness and curiosity can replace fear. By learning which AI tools you can trust, everyone can enjoy the benefits of technology with peace of mind.

"If your institution offers an enterprise AI tool, use that instead of the free public version for anything work-related,” Inns said. “The data protections are significantly better."

At UNLV, Google Gemini is already available to students and employees in their Rebelmail or UNLVMail email, while university accounts for ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot 365 are available for purchase. Visit the AI Tools webpage for more information.

The Real BS About AI publishes new episodes every two weeks, blending humor, accessibility, and practical advice to make artificial intelligence approachable for the UNLV community. View the AI Technology webpage for past podcast episodes or more information about AI at UNLV.

Short on time? Grab The Afterwards, a quick read about the episode, complete with prompts and notes you can copy and paste for your own use and workflow.  

Content for this story was drawn directly from the podcast and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our communications team verifies all content for accuracy.