Much like all the technological breakthroughs before it, generative AI has incredible potential to do good. Unfortunately, irresponsible or malicious use of such a powerful and accessible tool also has the potential to cause significant harm.
One dark side of AI is the extra power it gives hackers. Technologies like large language models are being exploited to launch sophisticated online attacks.
Researchers such as UQ PhD candidate Edidiong James are investigating how we can adapt to the evolving landscape of cybersecurity threats.
“We are at a point where artificial intelligence can generate text, images, audio and video that are becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish from the real thing,” says Edidiong.
“Most people have heard of deepfakes or chatbots, but what is less talked about is how criminals are starting to use these tools to carry out cyberattacks in ways that are more convincing and harder to catch than ever before.”
She is particularly looking at how organisations can protect themselves and their members from these new tools being weaponised against them.
I want my research to be more than an academic contribution. I want to contribute to insights that actually help organisations build resilience as the technology keeps evolving.
Finding human solutions to AI problems
For Edidiong, understanding how the advancements in generative AI are empowering cyberattacks was only the first step of the journey. The situation is much more nuanced than just AI is making the internet scarier.
“As my research developed, it became clear that the technology is only part of the story,” she says.
“A significant part of my work now focuses on the organisational side of the problems, such as existing processes, assumptions and decision-making habits that create vulnerabilities even before an attack happens.”
Edidiong’s research has shown that many organisations simply aren’t keeping pace with how rapidly generative AI is moving, which means greater risk exposure. But she has also identified that this growing danger can’t be answered one organisation at a time – it requires bigger thinking.
“I also look at the broader picture, including how regulatory and governance approaches across different countries affect how well organisations are equipped to manage these kinds of threats,” says Edidiong.
“The end goal is to bridge the gap between where research currently sits and what we actually need. I am trying to make sense of it all and come up with practical tools organisations can use. This could include things like frameworks that help them spot where they are vulnerable and mitigation strategies for anticipating, recognising and responding to generative AI-enabled threats.”
Edidiong’s collaborative PhD experience
For Edidiong to complete her thesis, her research needs to extend across multiple study areas.
“A purely technical approach would only get me so far,” she says.
Just as important for her is understanding:
- why attacks succeed
- how people make decisions under pressure
- how humans interact with systems
- how organisations are structured.
To achieve this broader perspective and cover every angle of her research, Edidiong is working with a diverse range of academics from the UQ Business School and other areas of the university – as well as researchers abroad.
“The multidisciplinary environment at UQ has easily been a natural fit for what I am trying to do,” she says.
“Having supervisors who come from different disciplinary backgrounds has made a big difference. Between them, they bring expertise across cybersecurity and organisational risk, artificial intelligence, human computer interaction, and criminology, and that combination has shaped how I think about the problem.”
Edidiong’s supervisory team consists of:
- Dr Ivano Bongiovanni, a leading researcher and consultant on the business implications of cybersecurity
- Associate Professor Mashhuda Glencross, a human-computer interaction specialist from the UQ School of Engineering and Computer Science
- Dr Lewys Brace, a senior lecturer in computational social science at the University of Exeter in the UK.
Edidiong believes this collaborative approach has also enhanced the way she communicates as a researcher.
“When you are working across disciplines, you cannot rely on shared assumptions or technical shorthand,” she says.
“It forces clarity in a way that staying within one discipline does not.”
“And really, the complexity of the problem I am working on requires this kind of approach. I need people who understand multiple sides of it to make real progress.”
What led Edidiong to studying a PhD at UQ?
Edidiong remembers being a very curious person since she was little, although it took a while to realise this trait would lead her into research.
“When I was younger, I did not fully understand what my curiosity meant for my future, but I knew I wanted to keep learning and exploring new ideas,” she says.
“As I grew older and began to understand what research actually involves, I became really drawn to it. There was something exciting about the idea of discovering new knowledge and contributing to something bigger than myself.”
Growing up, Edidiong didn’t have anyone in her life who had pursued a research career. But rather than feeling intimidated by the unknown, this only made the path more intriguing to her.
“I have always really enjoyed school, so moving into research felt like a natural progression for me,” she says.
“Pursuing a PhD was not just a career decision. It was a continuation of that curiosity and desire to understand the world more deeply.”
One of Edidiong’s earliest inspirations to pursue computer science was learning about Ada Lovelace in school.
“The idea that someone could imagine the potential of computers long before they fully existed made me think about how I could also contribute to such a field,” she says.
“It was not just about technology, but about creativity, vision, and impact.”
“As I learned more, I became increasingly fascinated by the history and evolution of computing, especially the role that women played in the early development of computers. Knowing that the foundations of this field were shaped by people whose contributions are often overlooked made it feel even more meaningful to be part of it.”
Edidiong’s fascination with computer science naturally led her towards software engineering and, eventually, to her current research focus.
“Pursuing a PhD in cybersecurity and AI feels like the culmination of those early interests and motivations… it is a field that is constantly evolving, intellectually challenging, and deeply relevant to society,” she says.
“I am also motivated by the idea of contributing to a space where I can both advance knowledge and serve as an example to others who might not have initially seen themselves in this field.”
Choosing UQ
Selecting UQ for her PhD was easy for Edidiong, as her thesis is part of an existing research project that instantly caught her attention.
“I was drawn to the specific research project I am currently working on as it aligned very closely with my interests, particularly in understanding emerging cyber threats and how organisations can respond to them,” she says.
She had also been in contact with Mashhuda prior to applying, so she already had a strong sense of the collaborative environment she was signing up for.
“That early interaction made the opportunity feel quite exciting,” she says.
“UQ’s strong research reputation and global standing were important factors for me, too, as I wanted to be in an environment that would challenge me, support high-quality research, and allow me to grow as an academic.”
Edidiong has enjoyed the flexibility offered by UQ as well, which she feels has benefited both her research and her personal development. This includes the freedom to structure her own research process, self-managing her time in a way that balances deep research, teaching, writing, and collaboration time.
“A key part of this flexibility comes from the fact that I am undertaking a joint PhD between UQ and the University of Exeter,” she says.
“This has given me the opportunity to work across different research environments, engage with diverse academic perspectives, and build international collaborations that have significantly enriched my work.”
The flexibility has also manifested in the way Edidiong’s research has been allowed to evolve over time, which is especially important in a rapidly changing field like generative AI and cybersecurity.
“As I have progressed, I have been able to refine and expand my focus in response to new insights,” she says.
“My supervisors have been very supportive of this, encouraging exploration while still providing guidance and direction.”
The opportunity to study in Australia was the final factor in her decision.
“It offered a chance to experience a new environment and perspective,” says Edidiong.
“I think there is real value in stepping outside familiar environments, and I liked the idea of doing that while also doing meaningful work.”
Edidiong’s advice for future PhD candidates
When asked if she would recommend a PhD, Edidiong’s answer is always – but not for the reasons most people expect.
“Yes, you deepen your knowledge in a specific area, and yes, you come out with a qualification,” she says.
“But what surprised me most was everything else that comes along with it. It changes and challenges the way you think, not in an abstract sense, but a practical one. You start approaching problems differently, asking better questions, and sitting with complexity in a way that I do not think you develop as quickly anywhere else.”
“The multidisciplinary side of my experience has been a big part of that. Being able to look at a single problem through multiple lenses and come out with a richer answer is a skill I did not fully appreciate until I had it.”
Edidiong’s best pieces of advice are to keep an open mind and to make sure you choose supervisors that are a good match for you.
“It is not just about the degree or the research output… there is so much personal and intellectual growth wrapped up in the process itself, and that is worth a lot,” she says.
“And if you get your supervisors right, that makes everything else so much more manageable. For me, having the right people in my corner has really made all the difference.”
Ready to embark on your own research journey?
