Artificial intelligence is everywhere: in the news, integrated within daily-use devices and platforms, and increasingly adopted into the regular habits and workstreams of people worldwide. Even before Mythos, it was recognized that AI is a double-edged sword when it comes to cyber and platform security, aiding both attackers and defenders. This is also true for cyber-enabled fraud and scams. Diverse AI tools and functions are being put to use by the transnational criminal organizations that control many online scam operations to improve efficiency and quality. But AI is also being used by trusted platforms to improve security and defend against cyber threats including scams and fraud. How exactly are scammers using AI? What are some of the ways AI and deepfakes are making it easier for scammers to avoid detection? And how can AI improve the security systems and procedures to identify and block these new threat vectors?
Join us for a discussion and demos to move beyond the hype and understand in greater detail how both criminal actors and trusted platform providers are utilizing AI now, and what this means for the future of fighting fraud and scams.
Featured Speakers
Courtney Weatherby, Fellow and Deputy Director, Stimson Center Southeast Asia Program (Opening Remarks)
Courtney Weatherby is a Fellow and Deputy Director of the Stimson Center’s Southeast Asia and Energy, Water, and Sustainability programs. Her work takes a multi-sector lens to explore and address challenges related to energy, infrastructure, online scam operations, critical minerals, and water governance. She focuses on the Mekong region, where she has led major policy reports and supports platforms like the Mekong Dam Monitor and Mekong Infrastructure Tracker. She previously worked with the State Department, CSIS, and Human Rights Watch, and holds graduate and undergraduate degrees in Asian and East Asian Studies.
Ryan Kim, Senior Product Marketing Manager for Android Security and Privacy, Google
Ryan Kim is a senior product marketing manager for Android Security and Privacy with more than ten years of experience at Google. He leads the marketing and promotion of Android’s protection features for more than 3 billion users. Previously, he was a product marketing manager for Android Enterprise, focusing on security and privacy. In a former life, Ryan was a technology reporter covering mobility for the San Francisco Chronicle and Gigaom.
Hieu Minh Ngo, Co-Founder of ChongLuaDao
Hieu Minh Ngo (Hieu PC) is a Vietnamese cybersecurity expert whose remarkable journey spans from convicted hacker to globally respected defender of cyberspace. Hieu was arrested in 2013 in the U.S. for orchestrating an identity-theft ring affecting approximately 200 million Americans. After serving part of his sentence and cooperating with authorities, he was released in 2019. Returning to Vietnam in 2020, Hieu redirected his technical prowess toward cybersecurity. He joined the National Cybersecurity Centre (NCSC) as a security expert, where he co-founded ChongLuaDao, a pioneering anti-scam initiative that quickly became a trusted national platform to detect and block phishing and fraud.
Mollie Zapata, Senior Director of Analysis, C4ADS
Mollie Zapata is the Senior Director of Analysis at C4ADS, overseeing programs on organized crime, human security and conflict prevention, and wildlife and natural resource security. Mollie has spent her career applying new methods and advanced technologies to further human rights and prevent atrocities, including positions at the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum.
Jack Stubbs, Intelligence & Investigations, Open AI
Jack Stubbs is a member of OpenAI’s Intelligence & Investigations team, where he leads efforts to detect and disrupt AI-enabled scams and fraud. Previously, he served as Chief Intelligence Officer at Graphika, where he built and led a team of open-source intelligence analysts focused on identifying and mitigating online security threats. Jack began his career as a Reuters correspondent, reporting from Russia and Ukraine before moving to cover cybersecurity.
Allison Pytlak, Senior Fellow and Director, Cyber Program, Stimson Center (Moderator)
Pytlak is a cybersecurity expert whose work focuses on the intersection of cyber operations, international relations, and UN governance frameworks. She leverages extensive experience in arms control and disarmament to advance international law, norms, and strategies to reduce cyber harm, with a focus on accountability, deterrence, and cybercrime. Previously, she worked with the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, where she monitored UN cyber processes and advocated for civil society participation while highlighting gender and human rights dimensions. She has over 15 years of experience in international disarmament advocacy and holds degrees in International Relations from the University of Toronto and the City University of New York.
