AI is changing the way that cybersecurity is governed: How’s What CISOs Should Do Right Now.

AI and automation are changing the way organizations want to work, but they’re also changing how . These trends are already colliding with no sign of slowing down. 

As business transformation advances, security leaders should seize the chance to reconnect with the wider organization to get attention, build buy-in and strengthen support from stakeholders at every level. 

Protecting People is Key 

There isn’t a boardroom in the world that hasn’t been captivated by generative AI (GenAI) and agentic AI. The new technology offers a wealth of potential, from accelerating productivity in development and marketing to enhancing everyday tasks, such as performance reviews. 

Machine learning and automation are not new, but the ability to seamlessly automate repetitive, human-driven tasks with speed and trust has evolved dramatically. Automation is now trusted to streamline processes, guide decision-making and support people across roles — developers, incident responders, customer service teams and beyond. 

But with this innovation comes risk. As we embrace GenAI and agentic AI to boost productivity, we also expand the attack surface. Threat actors now use AI to increase the speed and precision of their attacks, which can range from well-crafted phishing emails to AI-generated malware and weaponized exploits of new vulnerabilities. 

While technology and process are vital to defending against these threats, it bears repeating that people are the first and most important line of defense. The pillars of people, process and technology must work in concert to ensure the safe and secure adoption of GenAI and agentic AI. 

Crucially, GenAI and Agentic AI will also shape how we build products, secure environments and operate daily. However, they will also be leveraged by attackers to exploit our environments and by employees through shadow AI tools introduced without approval or visibility, potentially compromising data and risk postures. Protecting people and data must go hand in hand with preparing systems for faster, smarter responses. 

Real-Time Response: Automation Steps Up 

That’s where automation comes in.  

While protecting people remains critical, today’s security environment also demands a real-time response. The difference between a minor incident and a major breach often comes down to speed, and automation enables this speed. 

Security teams must now operate like their IT and to stay ahead. For example, integrating with security orchestration tools can automatically triage alerts, prioritise threats and trigger incident workflows. The result? Drastically reduced Mean Time to Detect (MTTD) and Mean Time to Respond (MTTR) and fewer missed opportunities to mitigate risk. 

Automation can also trigger proactive defenses, such as blocking malicious IP addresses, disabling compromised services and initiating compliance workflows, all in real time. In highly regulated industries, automated evidence collection and policy enforcement can help teams stay audit-ready and avoid costly compliance gaps. 

This is where AI-driven insights shine. With the volume of security data skyrocketing, AI helps enrich and correlate data across platforms, cutting through the noise to highlight the events that truly matter. 

A Sense of Community 

Of course, technology alone can’t solve everything. History shows that people remain the prime target for threat actors and our greatest vulnerability. Attackers exploit human nature: Our desire to help, to act fast and to please. That’s why security awareness and education should remain paramount, not just for developers and engineers, but for everyone. 

Security leaders can’t let education happen in a vacuum. We need to ensure that people understand what good security looks like and why it matters. 

We’re social, storytelling creatures. As security professionals, we need to tell relatable stories that resonate.  

Consider the HR business partner who uses GenAI to analyze employee data for pay trends. If that request is made through an unapproved AI tool without privacy protections — and without redacting sensitive information — even a well-intentioned action can result in serious data exposure. 

Whether it’s about strong passwords, multi-factor authentication or data protection, relatable scenarios bring abstract risks to life and help people make better decisions. 

The truth is, we can’t fully prevent human error. However, we can build a culture that encourages awareness, learning and ownership, reinforcing the idea that security is everyone’s responsibility. 

Building Buy-In 

The threat landscape is constantly evolving. Just when security teams feel they’ve made progress, new threats emerge, new tools are adopted and priorities shift. It can feel like starting over, again and again. 

Security is not a solo pursuit. By treating it as a team sport where automation supports humans and AI augments judgment, we can build resilience together. 

For CISOs, the message is clear.  

Assess the risks posed by AI-powered attacks and adopt AI-driven defense capabilities to match. Automate where possible. Use AI to prioritize what matters. Invest in processes and talent that enable real-time response and build long-term trust. 

The threat landscape won’t stand still, and neither can we. With the right people, processes and AI-powered automation in play, security teams can protect their organizations and ensure no one is caught offside.