AI Evening: Cybersecurity in Everyday Life – Protecting Yourself from AI Scams, Deepfakes & Fraud

with IT Professor Johanna Ullrich at the Digital City Studio

The perfectly faked reality. From highly convincing voice clones used in family-member scams to manipulated digital systems, artificial intelligence is making it easier than ever for criminals to target our most critical communication channels. But how do these methods actually work from a technical perspective, how can we protect ourselves, and where does current IT security research come in?

In a relaxed setting, we will explore current developments, opportunities, and challenges related to cybersecurity, digital deception, and resilience in everyday life.

Key questions include:

How does targeted social engineering work – and what is AI already capable of today?
How should we respond in everyday situations when the line between reality and manipulation becomes increasingly blurred?
What does current IT research reveal about the security of our communication systems?
Your First Actions: Which concrete steps and security measures can and should everyone implement immediately?

The evening will critically examine technological developments in their broader social and digital context. Following a 30-minute research talk by Prof. Johanna Ullrich, participants will take part in a short exchange with the people seated next to them about personal experiences, helping to sharpen the most pressing questions for the subsequent Ask the Researcher session.

Afterwards, there will be time for informal conversations and personal exchange. Visitors will also have the opportunity to try out a range of digital technologies, including a VR headset, a robot dog, and an augmented reality sandbox.