Insights to Protect Your Business
The digital world is transforming at lightning speed, and AI is no longer just an option in cybersecurity; it’s a game-changer. As businesses accelerate their digital journeys, they’re harnessing AI to supercharge decision-making, embracing the cloud for unmatched scalability, and adapting to industry shifts to outpace competitors.
But transformation isn’t just about tech; it’s about reshaping how organizations operate and deliver value. With these advancements, however, come growing cyber risks. The more businesses expand their digital footprints, the more they open doors to potential vulnerabilities.
To tackle these challenges, enterprises need next-generation security operations that can keep pace with an AI-powered future. That’s why Palo Alto Networks and IBM brought together top industry experts to share their insights on this groundbreaking transformation.
Hosted by Dan Nutburn, IBM Partnership Lead UK at Palo Alto Networks, this compelling video series dives into how cutting-edge security operations can help businesses thrive in the age of AI.
Part 1 — Strategic Partnership for Transformative Security
This first installment in our series revealed how the collaboration between Palo Alto Networks and IBM is reshaping cybersecurity.
Duncan Greenwood, VP, NGS Sales EMEA & LATAM at Palo Alto Networks, kicked off the conversation, emphasizing the transformative nature of this partnership:
Our partnership with IBM and Palo Alto Networks is more than innovation; it’s a shift in cybersecurity’s core approach – this isn’t just the next step, it’s the transformation the industry urgently needs.
Shlomi Kramer, EMEA Sales Lead, IBM Cybersecurity Services, highlighted the proactive power of AI to reshape the security landscape entirely and explained why the right partnerships are now more valuable than ever was:
We’re enabling companies to be proactive, not just reactive, against smarter threats. This partnership places power firmly in the hands of defenders, right where it needs to be.
The strategic value of integrated security solutions can’t be understated either, according to Tim Van den Heede, Vice President Global Services, IBM Cybersecurity Services:
Today’s leaders demand security that scales and syncs with digital goals, offering tangible value. We’re making the leap from isolated tools to an integrated, future-ready security strategy that impacts the bottom line.
Part 2 — Adapting to the Evolving Threat Landscape
In the second installment, the discussion shifted to focus on how the threat landscape is changing.
Kramer was quick to point out the dual nature of AI, which can be used both to enhance security and to exploit vulnerabilities:
AI is making it cheaper and easier than ever to launch cyberattacks, including on supply chains.
Greenwood expanded on this, pointing out how AI is expanding opportunities for both good and bad:
AI can drive competitive advantage, but it also opens up new risks. Leaders must understand and balance this dual impact, and we’re delivering solutions to manage both sides of the equation.
Shailesh Rao, President of Cortex at Palo Alto Networks elaborated further:
Businesses are embracing cloud at breakneck speed. Our focus is on simplifying security for multi-cloud environments – cutting through complexity and enabling faster, safer scaling.
As companies adopt multi-cloud strategies, managing risks across platforms becomes essential, and this partnership aims to streamline that process.
“The annual total economic impact of cybercrime is now more than $10 trillion,” cited Heede, pointing out how that staggering figure underscores the importance of robust cybersecurity measuring to protect against the growing threat of cybercrime.
Part 3 — Simplifying Multicloud Security
Greenwood articulated the pressures and complexities of rapid and agile development that is leading to cloud breaches: “The average cost of a public cloud breach is $4.5 million.” This highlights the financial impact of cloud security breaches and the need for effective security measures.
Kramer offered insights into how more clients are opting to simplify multicloud management using a discover, assess and remediate model to reduce potential exposure: “This strategy builds resilience and future-proofs organizations against the shifting landscape of global cyber risk.” This approach also helps businesses manage the complexities of multicloud environments and reduce their risk exposure.
Part 4 — Addressing Client Concerns on Platformization
Greenwood kicked off the discussion by sharing some of the most common feedback and objections clients have when discussing platformization. These include choosing best-of-breed solutions vs. a platform, balancing security with agile development, avoiding vendor lock-in, and addressing platformization costs.
Interestingly, platformization addresses all these concerns by providing a more secure and cost-effective security platform. According to Rao, the traditional approach to cybersecurity, which involves integrating multiple point solutions, is becoming obsolete. Palo Alto Networks advocates for a single integrated platform, leveraging machine learning and a unified architecture framework. While some may worry about putting all their eggs in one basket, Rao argued that it is better to have a few well-guarded baskets than many vulnerable ones.
Van den Heede closed off by highlighting a significant trend: "Three out of four organizations, or 75%, are considering security vendor consolidation today, compared to only 29% in 2020." This shift indicates that organizations are moving from contemplating platformization to executing it. Complex security strategies with a patchwork of solutions can negatively impact performance and increase costs.
The partnership between Palo Alto Networks and IBM is timely, as it helps clients execute their platformization strategies efficiently, combining technology with expertise.
Part 5 — The Future of AI in Security
Lastly, the group examined how AI is changing the security landscape, what it means for business, and what we’ll see in 2025 and beyond.
AI brings many benefits, but also challenges around data and governance: “AI is reshaping the security landscape entirely. We’re enabling companies to be proactive, not just reactive, against smarter threats,” offered Kramer.
Greenwood shared additional insights about the benefits of AI for employees and the challenges posed by bad actors innovating their attacks. Highlighting the comprehensive approaches of Palo Alto Networks and IBM, he noted, “We go beyond AI security – our approach protects the entire digital ecosystem, ensuring every AI-driven insight is reliable, actionable and secure.”
This method helps ensure that AI not only enhances security, but also safeguards against potential vulnerabilities.
Rao closed with a cautionary tale:
AI is going to change our lives as we know it, not just the security landscape. What AI has done on the positive side cannot be measured. On the downside, someone can now create dangerous malware within a few minutes. We're faced with a world where AI is going to not just improve lives, but also dramatically change how dangerous our systems can be from a cybersecurity perspective.
Innovation, integration, impact. It’s all here.
Why not dive into the full discussion to hear industry experts map out a proactive, AI-driven approach to security?
If you’re ready to lead, not just follow, in cybersecurity, see how these transformative solutions can secure your business and shape its future. Discover more about the IBM and Palo Alto Networks partnership.