Human + Al the next frontier in cyber defence

Experts at Daily FT-CICRA 11th annual Cyber Security Summit discuss how the human-Al alliance will redefine speed, precision, and judgment in cybersecurity

- BY HIYAL BIYAGAMAGE

THE second session of the 11th Annual Daily FT-CICRA Cyber Security Summit explored the rapidly evolving relationship between human expertise and artificial intelligence in strengthening cyber defences. Delivering the keynote address on "The Human-AI Partnership: Augmenting Cyber Teams with Intelligent Automation,", Sysco LABS Director of Cybersecurity and Sysco's Business Information Security Officer (BISO) for APAC, Shanthi Rajesh outlined how intelligent automation can bridge the widening talent and response gaps in modern cybersecurity.

Rajesh opened by noting that the global AI cybersecurity market is projected to reach USD 134 billion by 2030, underscoring how organisations are moving from manual, reactive operations to AI-augmented ecosystems that respond to threats at machine speed. She emphasised that cyberattacks are now increasing by 13% annually, even as the global cybersecurity workforce gap expands to 3.4 million professionals. This imbalance, she explained, makes intelligent automation not optional but essential to sustaining business resilience.

"AI doesn't replace the human element. It enhances it," Rajesh remarked. "We need both the speed of machines and the intuition of people to stay ahead of evolving adversaries."

She described humans as excelling in abstract thinking, creativity, empathy, and adaptability, while AI contributes speed, precision, pattern recognition, and scalability. The most effective cybersecurity strategy, she argued, lies in fusing these strengths into a cohesive, symbiotic defence framework.

Rajesh also detailed how AI is already transforming key security functions, from email filtering and threat hunting to endpoint protection and anomaly detection. Machine learning models now identify phishing emails, automate the hunt for hidden threats, and protect individual devices through continuous monitoring.