AI adoption is outpacing security in critical infrastructure
Energy, manufacturing and utility operators are wiring decades-old plants into modern networks just as attackers gain machine-speed tooling, and critical infrastructure cybersecurity is where that mismatch bites hardest. Awareness of the risk is widespread, but action in many sectors is still lagging. That gap is now the central problem for security leaders at industrial companies, […] The post…
Energy, manufacturing and utility companies are rapidly connecting aging infrastructure to modern networks, outpacing efforts to secure these systems. The mismatch between AI adoption and cybersecurity investments is creating a critical vulnerability. Awareness of the risk is high, but action remains slow across many sectors. David Cooper, Ernst & Young's cybersecurity growth leader, explained that the future of cybersecurity lies in a partnership between humans and intelligent agents operating at unprecedented speeds.
George Kurtz and Jensen emphasized the need for defenders to accelerate and match attackers' capabilities during EY's Fal.Con keynote. Spending on modernization is substantial, but security investments have not kept pace, noted Payal Thakkar, EY's cybersecurity leader. Critical infrastructure, such as oil fields and utility plants, are being connected to operational technology networks, expanding the attack surface.
EY's research projects that the percentage of organizations dedicating at least a quarter of their cybersecurity budget to AI will grow from 9% to 48% within two years. However, finding talent fluent in both AI and cybersecurity remains challenging. The human workforce is evolving, but cybersecurity teams still struggle to secure the right personnel for new roles.
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