Investigating the symbiotic relationship between artificial intelligence and blockchain to promote zero-trust cybersecurity in an evolving information ecosystem

Purpose Blockchain, artificial intelligence (AI) and zero-trust cybersecurity share a common element: trust. This study aims to present an original exploration of the potential symbiotic relationship between AI and blockchain technologies, focusing on how they can enhance each other’s capabilities to promote zero-trust cybersecurity within an evolving information environment. Design/methodology/approach The authors conducted a scoping review of the existing literature in the Web of Science database, following the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). These guidelines informed our methodological approach to searching for articles, screening them and determining inclusion and exclusion criteria. This investigation focused on IEEE-affiliated publications that demonstrate how blockchain can benefit AI and vice versa, as well as the causal interconnections between AI and blockchain in the context of zero-trust cybersecurity. To extract information for content analysis and causal mapping, the authors used the zero-trust pillars from the zero-trust maturity model as a theory-driven coding framework. Findings The results indicate ten ways that blockchain can benefit if AI were identified, including data anonymization, secure data sharing, transaction traceability, decentralized storage to mitigate data loss, data immutability, reduced opportunities for data fraud, controlled access and trading of models, clear and permanent result distribution, increased perceived security and support for AI-moderated exchanges. Conversely, the authors highlight nine ways AI can benefit blockchain: controlled data editing, network access management, parameter determination, behavioral profiling to detect inconsistencies or fraud, taxonomy creation for potential attacks, anomaly detection in data sets, development of new consensus mechanisms, building applications on existing infrastructures and content personalization while preserving privacy. Practical implications The synergistic combination of AI and blockchain technologies complementarily bolsters zero-trust security across industries, leading to more effective cybersecurity strategies. Although multiple zero-trust pillars have been addressed, further research is needed to tackle challenges associated with the cross-cutting capabilities, specifically the orchestration, visibility and analytics and governance pillars. The research findings demonstrate the practical value of integrating AI and blockchain to promote a trustworthy cyberspace for current developers of cybersecurity solutions. Originality/value The primary originality of this study lies in uncovering the reciprocal relationship between AI and blockchain technology, coupled with the novel integration of a scoping review with causal mapping. This AI-blockchain synergy enhances data and information security within zero-trust frameworks, ultimately strengthening cyber resilience.