Jerry Petersen
Palo Alto Networks Senior Vice President of U.S. Public Sector Eric Trexler expects foreign adversaries in 2025 to continue using artificial intelligence to attack critical infrastructure, government systems and key industries, making it crucial, more than ever, for the U.S. and its allies to enhance cyber defenses to counteract state-sponsored cyber activities.
Using AI to Bolster Cybersecurity
Trexler made this prediction in a blog post published Wednesday, where he noted that cybersecurity efforts themselves, particularly on the part of federal agencies, will increasingly demand the use of AI, automation and human-machine teaming in light of evolving threats, more complex IT setups and potentially fewer resources, including manpower.
Benefits to Government Personnel
With the help of AI, federal government employees would be able to more effectively deliver public services and detect and respond to threats more quickly. Without the help of AI, Trexler believes employees would be overwhelmed with data and suffer from security bottlenecks. They would also likely feel exasperated and opt for work elsewhere.
Increasing Trust in AI
Despite the benefits that AI provide, risks related to and unintended outcomes resulting from the technology persist. According to Trexler, countries are increasingly in agreement that to maximize the positive impacts of the technology, AI security needs to be promoted. The Palo Alto Networks SVP expects that 2025 will see growing global alignment on security controls that would bolster trust in AI systems.
“In aggregate, these security imperatives are supportive of Secure AI by Design concepts that while still behind the speed of private sector advancement, will be a significant disruptor in the private sector. Secure your AI systems or risk the assuredness of the systems themselves,” Trexler said.
