41% seek AI advice on personal issues, Kaspersky survey finds

About 41% of respondents in a survey commissioned by cybersecurity firm Kaspersky reported using artificial intelligence (AI) services to seek advice on personal issues, raising concerns about the privacy of information shared with such platforms.

The study, published on October 15, found that nearly 79% of respondents across five countries in the Middle East, Turkiye and Africa (META) region used AI services, including chatbots and image and video generation tools.

The survey was based on 5,000 interviews conducted in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Turkiye and South Africa.

What are people using AI for?

The survey found that 37% of respondents turned to AI for health-related questions, 29% for planning leisure activities such as vacations and weekends, and 23% for preparing meal plans. Another 41% reported seeking advice on other personal matters, highlighting how AI tools are being used beyond routine tasks.

Searching for and summarizing information was the most frequently reported use of AI at 74%, followed by writing text at 50%.

Other activities included generating images from text prompts (42%), editing or transforming personal photographs (41%) and creating videos (32%).

What privacy risks does Kaspersky identify?

Kaspersky warned that people seeking personal advice from AI services may share sensitive information that could be exposed, misused by third parties or accessed by cybercriminals.

Seifallah Jedidi, Kaspersky's Head of Consumer Channel in the Middle East, Turkiye and Africa, said users should understand the limitations of AI services and how their information may be handled.

He cautioned that even widely used platforms could have security vulnerabilities, while information shared with AI services could be processed or accessed by third parties depending on their privacy policies.

Jedidi also warned that cybercriminals were increasingly using fake AI services to distribute malware, sometimes disguising malicious tools as legitimate AI platforms.

How reliable do users consider AI-generated information?

Nearly one in 10 respondents reported having encountered incorrect information generated by AI, while 24% believed AI could provide inaccurate answers, according to the survey.

Kaspersky advised users to verify AI-generated information against reliable sources, particularly when dealing with medical, legal, financial or educational matters.

The company warned that inaccurate answers in these areas could have serious consequences.

How can users reduce the risks?

Kaspersky recommended avoiding the disclosure of sensitive information, including passwords, payment details, documents, private correspondence and health information.

Users should also review how AI services collect, store, process and use their information before providing personal details.

The cybersecurity firm advised checking important AI-generated claims against trustworthy sources rather than relying on responses without verification.

It also urged caution when accessing unfamiliar AI tools, warning that fraudulent websites, phishing pages and malicious applications may imitate legitimate services.