Amazon.Com Inc's (AMZN  ) Chief Security Officer Stephen Schmidt sees generative artificial intelligence as a crucial tool in cybersecurity, striking a balance between enhancing security measures and supporting human staff.

Schmidt, who transitioned to the top cybersecurity role at Amazon in 2022 after 12 years with Amazon Web Services, has been integrating generative AI tools into Amazon's cyber team, the Wall Street Journal cites an interview with Schmidt.

These tools, developed internally, include Code Whisperer, which identifies potential software vulnerabilities and suggests corrections.

Schmidt emphasizes the importance of data protection, ensuring that corporate data in these AI tools remains secure and doesn't become part of a vendor's training model, WSJ writes.

He asserts that while generative AI is a powerful asset for security teams, it's not a replacement for human security engineers.

The technology is used at Amazon to prioritize findings, automate incident responses, and free up the security team for more strategic tasks.

Generative AI tools at Amazon can detect unusual behavior in customer accounts, helping to isolate and alert suspicious activities.

They also assist developers in scanning code for vulnerabilities and suggesting more secure coding practices.

Schmidt told WSJ these tools amplify human abilities and address the cybersecurity talent shortage by increasing productivity and efficiency.

He added that generative AI tools can reduce operational expenses by making security operations more efficient.

These tools allow for less hiring, addressing both budget constraints and the challenge of finding skilled security engineers.

However, Schmidt assures that generative AI is an accelerator, not a replacement, for security engineering, emphasizing its role as a tool to enhance, not eliminate, human expertise in cybersecurity.

Previous reports indicated Amazon placing its bets on AI-powered targeted ads to target the 2023 holiday season beyond its signature fast shipping and attractive discounts.

The company has also integrated advanced AI and robotics technologies in its warehouse operations to drive inventory identification efficiency and reduce delivery times.

CEO Andy Jassy emphasized the transformative potential of generative AI in improving customer experiences across Amazon's enterprise and consumer businesses.

Jassy outlined plans to build a more expansive large language model for Alexa.

Amazon stock closed higher by close to 3% Monday, and it gained 71% last year versus the broader sector ETF Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 (QQQ  ), which gained 50%.

Price Action: AMZN shares traded lower by 0.48% at $148.44 premarket on the last check Tuesday.