ISACA is releasing a series of five courses on how to use AI safely and correctly in businesses, and that’s necessary, according to CEO Eric Prusch. “Only fifteen percent of organizations in Europe have an AI strategy and two thirds fear that they do not sufficiently consider the ethical aspect.”

“Knowledge of AI is evolving, but not at the pace it needs to,” says Eric Prusch, CEO of ISACA (founded as Association for Audit and Control of Information Systems). Almost a year after he was named head of the global organization dedicated to supporting digital trust professionals, we caught up with him to find out what an entry-level year he’s had. ISACA is at the center of the AI ​​hype and the associated question of secure implementation in companies.

This is reflected in the recent launch of a brand new product Digital Trust Ecosystem Framework, which helps organizations integrate technology in a sustainable way. In addition, ISACA is in the process of launching five AI courses aimed at all levels of knowledge.

Slow development

“Over the past year, understanding of AI has moved in the right direction, but not at the pace that was necessary,” says Prusch. “As an organization, we want to understand the problem well and contribute to the solution.”

“Over the past year, understanding of AI has moved in the right direction, but not at the pace required.”

Eric Prusch, CEO ISACA

The CEO outlines the problem: “Research shows that barely fifteen percent of companies today have an AI strategy.” Less than a third have already thought about the ethical aspect of AI. But 99 percent understand that AI can potentially be misused by malicious actors.”

“Awareness of AI and potential problems is increasing and that’s a good thing,” Prusch continued. “But when it comes to concrete solutions, we see that they are not following at the same pace.”

Know that you don’t know

Prusch sees a big and very human problem: “It’s human nature to inflate your own knowledge to the point where you don’t feel less capable than others.” Everyone wants to be an expert, but not many people actually invest the time. People therefore overestimate their knowledge of AI. It’s up to us to get over this and make it clear that it’s okay to admit that you know little or nothing.”

He sees that this important hurdle still needs to be overcome. “Just look on social media to see what so-called experts are communicating about AI. And then you ask yourself, what did they really do? Have you already rolled out solutions in companies? And have they already been checked?”

ISACA wants to bring improvement. “Our job is to produce real experts. But that means that we have to take people from the grassroots with us, and that is lacking today. You can’t teach astrophysics to someone who has left out basic math.”

Training from the industry

ISACA has around 180,000 members worldwide. These members are profiles from the business world who are confronted with questions about digital trust and the role of AI on a daily basis. The courses developed by ISACA are based on the real needs of these members. “We not only organized surveys,” says Prusch, “but also physically brought members together in focus groups.”

Prusch has no illusions about his own AI competence and sets a good example when it comes to self-knowledge. “I’ll be the first to admit that my knowledge of AI is quite rudimentary. And I’ll be one of the first to take the courses when they come out. There is no ceiling when it comes to being informed.”

Take control of it

According to Prusch, we have to work hard because the statistics above don’t lie. “There is already a growing trust problem. Only seven percent of IT professionals in the EU say they fully trust their company. The complexity of the digital ecosystem is now increasing and the risk to organizations is increasing rapidly. I’m afraid things may not improve fast enough.”

The consequences of dwindling digital trust are enormous.

Eric Prusch, CEO ISACA

“Europe is generally focused on the right things,” he continues, pointing to all kinds of laws, including the AI ​​law. “However, we are far from ready and the consequences of declining digital trust are enormous. Everyone has to get it under control.”

Flying start

Prusch sees closer cooperation with education as an important part of the solution. He sees a parallel to computer science. “This discipline didn’t exist yet, but then came master’s degrees, followed by a boom in talent and development. There are also many excellent jobs in the digital trust sector. People should not only learn the right skills on the job, but also acquire the necessary specialist knowledge during training.”

ISACA tries to work with educational institutions as much as possible. “We are working on qualifying our courses for training,” says Prusch. “In this way, people receive the necessary knowledge right from the start and can get started professionally.”

The CEO of ISACA does not downplay the challenge but has a positive attitude. His organization knows where the vulnerabilities lie and, supported by a global network of volunteers with industry knowledge, addresses them methodically. “I am optimistic about what we can achieve in the professional world,” he concludes.