- AI chatbots are useful but vulnerable to manipulation by malevolent persons
- Microsoft’s Prompt Shields is a technology designed to defend chatbots against abusive attacks proactively
- Prompt Shields works by identifying potentially dangerous prompts and preventing them from influencing the chatbot’s behavior
Artificial intelligence chatbots are becoming more and more integrated into our lives. From customer service to education and entertainment, chatbots bring many benefits but also some risks. The problem is that malicious people are trying to use these chatbots for their sinister purposes. So what steps are being taken against this, are measures being taken?
Microsoft announced a new technology called “Prompt Shields” to prevent malicious hackers from using chatbots for their sinister purposes and to find a solution. Prompt Shields is designed to protect AI chatbots against two types of attacks. So what is Prompt Shields? Let’s take a closer look.
What is Microsoft’s Prompt Shields, and how will it benefit?
Microsoft’s Prompt Shields technology is designed to protect AI applications from malicious manipulation through carefully crafted user input.
As I mentioned above, this technology will protect AI chatbots against two types of attacks:
- Direct attacks: In these attacks, special commands are used to force the chatbot to do something against its normal rules and limitations. For example, a person can force the chatbot to perform an evil action by entering a prompt with commands such as “bypass security measures” or “override system“.
- Indirect attacks: In these attacks, a hacker tries to trick the chatbot user by sending them information. This information could be an email or a document containing instructions designed to exploit the chatbot. When the user follows these instructions, the chatbot may unknowingly perform a malicious action.
Prompt Shields also uses machine learning and natural language processing to find and eliminate potential threats in user prompts and third-party data.
In addition to Prompt Shields, Microsoft introduced a new technique called “Spotlighting” to help AI models better distinguish valid AI prompts from potentially risky or untrustworthy ones.
Microsoft’s new technologies are considered an important step in improving the safety and reliability of AI chatbots. It will be really exciting to see how these technologies protect chatbots in the coming days.
Featured image credit: Barış Selman / DALL-E 3
