Transforming Cyber security with AI: Current Hurdles and Future Horizons

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into cyber security has expanded rapidly to enhance threat detection, automate responses, optimize vulnerability management, and support strategic decision-making within complex digital ecosystems. However, this technological evolution presents a distinct double-edged sword: the very mechanisms designed to fortify organizational defenses are frequently weaponized by cybercriminals to scale automated attacks, deploy intelligent malware, engineer advanced social campaigns, execute adversarial disruptions, and compromise privacy. This article investigates the dual impact of AI through a comprehensive literature review spanning AI-powered defense mechanisms, offensive AI threats, organizational security paradigms, ethical dimensions, and future research trajectories. The findings suggest that AI should not function as a replacement for human expertise, but rather operate as an advanced decision-support and automation framework governed by transparency, accountability, and continuous oversight. Ultimately, the future efficacy of AI in cyber security depends on the collaborative capacity of organizations, researchers, and policymakers to balance rapid innovation with rigorous risk management—specifically addressing adversarial AI, explainable AI (XAI), data privacy, human accountability, and robust cyber governance.