As Australia heads toward its 2025 federal election, the increasing role of artificial intelligence (AI) in cybersecurity is raising concerns across political and insurance sectors.
Geoff Schomburgk, vice president for Asia Pacific and Japan at cybersecurity firm Yubico, said election security now encompasses more than ballot systems.
“When we think about election security, many people may think that it applies to online voting. However, election security goes much further than voting; it applies to the digital threats that are constantly evolving, especially those posed by bad actors using increasingly sophisticated attack tools like AI,” he said in an article published on SecurityBrief Australia.
The rise of AI-generated misinformation, including fabricated speeches and deepfake content, is complicating efforts to protect election integrity.
A report by Adobe, “Authenticity in the Age of AI: Australia,” found that more than 80% of Australians believe government action on AI and cybersecurity issues has been inadequate.
Separately, a January briefing from the Electoral Integrity Assurance Taskforce warned that the federal election could attract cyber threats from both state-linked and independent groups aiming to disrupt or undermine the process.
Schomburgk highlighted that political campaigns, often operating with limited cybersecurity resources, are a particular target.
“Political campaigns are one of the most vulnerable parts of the electoral ecosystem because they are treasure troves of sensitive data, from donor and volunteer information to political strategy, campaign speeches and login credentials,” he said.
He noted 2024 findings from Yubico’s Defending Digital Campaigns (DDC), which revealed that 72% of respondents were concerned about AI-generated content being used to spread misinformation or impersonate candidates.
Schomburgk advised campaigns to focus on basic but effective cybersecurity measures, such as implementing phishing-resistant multi-factor authentication, using secure password managers, and ensuring regular staff education on cyber threats.
The insurance sector is facing similar challenges as it increasingly integrates AI into operations. Gallagher Bassett’s “Carrier Perspective: 2025 Claims Insights” found that 88% of Australian insurers are now using generative AI in claims processes, a sharp increase from the previous year.
According to the report, 64% of insurers in Australia view enhanced decision-making through analytics as a key benefit, while 62% apply AI tools to better detect fraudulent claims.
Brandon Nutall, chief digital and AI officer at Xceedance, noted that AI has potential to help insurers address wider industry issues, including the persistent problem of underinsurance.
“GenAI – as part of a data strategy – has the potential to supercharge the insurance industry,” he said. “Only 6% of insurable assets worldwide are covered – it’s clear we have a fundamental problem when the people who need insurance most cannot access it.”
However, recent research highlights consumer reservations. A GlobalData survey of over 5,500 respondents across 11 markets found that while a majority saw improvements in service times and operational efficiency through AI, concerns around trust and reliability remain.
