AI, automation, autonomous SOCs, hyperautomation...

The cybersecurity industry is full of buzzwords right now.

But what does the future of security operations actually look like?

In this episode of Cyber Conversations, Katie speaks with Mike Lyborg, CISO at Swimlane, to explore how security teams are evolving, why automation has become essential, and where humans fit into an increasingly AI-driven future.

Having spent nearly a decade at Swimlane and almost 30 years in cybersecurity, Mike shares his perspective on the challenges security leaders face today and why technology alone will never solve the problem.

Topics include:

🔹 The evolution of security operations over the last decade

🔹 Why security teams are struggling to keep up with alert volume

🔹 The rise of automation, hyperautomation and AI-powered SOCs

🔹 Whether AI will replace security analysts

🔹 How CISOs should think about risk management

🔹 The biggest opportunities and challenges facing security teams

🔹 Why people remain the most important asset in cybersecurity

🔹 What the future of security operations could look like

If you're a CISO, SOC leader, security practitioner, or simply interested in the future of cybersecurity, this episode is packed with practical insights and real-world lessons from someone who's been at the forefront of security operations for decades.

In this episode of Cyber Conversations, Katie sits down with Alessio Dalla Piazza, Co-Founder & CTO of Equixly, to explore how the rise of AI-assisted development is changing application security and why traditional security testing is struggling to keep pace.Drawing on over 15 years of experience in offensive security and law enforcement, Alessio shares how he identified the growing API security challenge years before the current AI boom and why continuous security testing has become essential for modern organisations.The conversation explores the growing attack surface created by APIs, the limitations of manual penetration testing, and how attackers are already using AI to scale their operations.Topics covered include:- Why API security has become a critical challenge for organisationsThe impact of AI coding tools on software development and risk-Why traditional penetration testing can't keep pace with modern development cycles-How attackers are using AI to automate cyberattacks-The importance of continuous security testing-Why organisations need to focus on foundational security before chasing AI hype-The future of application security and AI-powered testingWhat security leaders should be prioritising todayIf you're interested in application security, AI, DevSecOps, or the future of offensive security, this episode is packed with valuable insights.

In this episode of Cyber Confersations, Katie sits down with Wes Mullins, Founder & CEO of Icite, to explore why identity is rapidly becoming the central battleground in cybersecurity.

Drawing on years of experience building and scaling MDR and SOC environments, Wes explains how the shift to cloud, remote work, SSO, OAuth, and AI has fundamentally changed security operations - and why traditional approaches are struggling to keep up.

The conversation dives into why identity now touches every part of the organisation, the rise of non-human identities and AI agents, and why visibility is the foundation for securing modern environments.

Topics covered include:

• Why identity has become one of cyber's biggest challenges
• How cloud adoption changed security operations
• The rise of stolen tokens and valid credential attacks
• Why identity is a shared responsibility across organisations
• The impact of AI agents and non-human identities
• What CISOs should prioritise before adopting new AI security tools
• How security teams can improve response speed and confidence
• Where identity security is heading over the next few years

If you're a security leader, SOC practitioner, or simply interested in how AI is reshaping cybersecurity, this is an episode you won't want to miss.

AI is changing cybersecurity—but not just the technology.

In this episode of Cyber Conversations, Katie Soper sits down with Patrick Dillon, CRO at Nudge Security, to explore how AI is reshaping cybersecurity sales, go-to-market strategy, workforce security, and the skills professionals need to succeed in an AI-driven world.

As organisations race to adopt AI, buyer expectations are evolving, job roles are changing, and companies are being forced to rethink how they build, sell, and secure technology.

Patrick shares his perspective on:

• Whether AI is replacing jobs or simply raising the bar

• How cybersecurity buying behaviour is changing

• Why workforce security is becoming a growing challenge

• The difference between genuine AI innovation and AI hype

• The future of cybersecurity sales and go-to-market teams

• The skills professionals should be developing today to stay relevant tomorrow

• What leaders need to be thinking about as AI adoption accelerates

This conversation goes beyond the technology itself and explores the human side of AI—how it is changing careers, teams, leadership, and the way organisations operate.

Whether you're a security leader, founder, GTM professional, or simply interested in where the industry is heading next, this episode offers valuable insights into one of the biggest transformations currently happening across cybersecurity.

🎧 Tune in now to hear the full discussion.

In this episode of Cyber Conversations, Katie sits down with Jonathan Cran, Founder of Mallory, to explore how AI is reshaping attack surface management, threat intelligence and modern security operations.

As organisations rapidly adopt AI, cloud platforms and increasingly complex software supply chains, traditional approaches to vulnerability management are being pushed to their limits.

Jonathan shares why security teams need a fundamentally different approach to managing risk and staying ahead of emerging threats.

Topics covered include:

• How AI is transforming security operations
• The rise of software supply chain attacks
• Why modern attack surfaces are more complex than ever
• What AI-native security teams look like in practice
• How organisations can operationalise threat intelligence
• The future of exposure management
• Why continuous security monitoring is becoming essential

The conversation also includes practical demonstrations and real-world examples of how AI can help security teams move faster, investigate threats more effectively and proactively identify vulnerabilities before attackers do.

If you're a security leader, practitioner, founder or simply interested in the future of cybersecurity, this is an episode you won't want to miss.

In this episode of Cyber Conversations, Katie sits down with Kristopher Schroeder, Founder & CEO of Replica Cyber, to explore one of the biggest challenges facing modern enterprises: how to securely operate in a world moving faster than traditional security environments were designed for.

Replica Cyber is tackling high-risk digital work - from AI experimentation and investigations through to M&A activity and sensitive strategic projects - helping organisations operate securely without sacrificing speed or innovation.

The conversation dives into Replica’s newly released research around “The Expectation Economy,” which reveals how security exceptions have quietly become standard operating procedure inside modern enterprises.

Topics covered include:

• Why businesses are increasingly forced to choose between speed and security

• The rise of “risk debt” caused by compounding security exceptions

• How AI agents and non-human identities are reshaping enterprise security

• Why traditional infrastructure struggles to keep up with modern AI adoption

• The future of secure environments for high-risk digital work

• How Replica is helping organisations safely experiment with AI and emerging technologies

A fascinating conversation on the evolving relationship between AI, enterprise infrastructure and cybersecurity - and why organisations need a fundamentally different approach to security moving forward.

What does the future of cybersecurity look like when AI can hack like an elite penetration tester?

In this episode of Cyber Conversations, I’m joined by Ido Geffen, Co-Founder & CEO of Novee Security - a company that recently emerged from stealth with over $50M in funding to build what they call an “AI-powered hacker for defenders.”

We unpack one of the biggest shifts currently happening in cybersecurity: the rise of AI-driven offensive security testing and why traditional security approaches may no longer be enough.

Ido shares:

• How advances in reasoning models and AI agents changed the cybersecurity landscape

• Why the economics of cyber attacks are fundamentally shifting

• How attackers are already leveraging AI at scale

• Why organisations are struggling to keep pace with rapidly evolving attack surfaces

• How Novee built a specialised AI model trained for offensive security

• The future of continuous offensive security testing (COST)

• Why AI-powered defence will become essential over the next few years

We also dive into:

• AI agents in cybersecurity

• Zero-day vulnerabilities

• The rise of autonomous offensive testing

• Why AppSec and penetration testing are rapidly evolving

• The balance between AI-powered attackers and defenders

If you’re working in cybersecurity, AI, offensive security, AppSec, product security, or simply trying to understand where the industry is heading next - this episode is packed with valuable insight.

🎙️ Listen now and join the conversations shaping cyber.

What does the future of cybersecurity actually look like in the age of AI?

In this episode of Cyber Conversations, I’m joined by Warren Small - founder, investor, cybersecurity leader, and builder deeply embedded within the cyber ecosystem.

We unpack one of the biggest conversations dominating the industry right now: the opportunities, risks, and realities of AI in cybersecurity.

From agentic AI and emerging attack surfaces to human behaviour, networking, and startup innovation, this conversation goes far beyond the usual buzzwords.

We cover:

• The real impact of AI on cybersecurity teams and businesses

• Why agentic AI is reshaping the industry faster than many expected

• The risks organisations are still underestimating

• How attackers are leveraging AI and automation

• Why networking and authentic relationships remain a superpower in cyber

• The mindset founders and investors need in today’s market

• Why human connection still matters in an increasingly automated world

Warren also shares insights from his journey from enterprise cybersecurity into investing and building within the startup ecosystem - including what excites him most about the future of cyber.

If you’re working in cybersecurity, building a startup, investing in the space, or simply trying to understand where the industry is heading next - this episode is packed with valuable insight.

🎙️ Listen now and join the conversation shaping cyber.

What are cybersecurity investors actually looking for in 2026 - and how is AI reshaping the startup landscape?

In this episode, I’m joined by Dan Nguyen-Huu, General Partner at Decibel, to break down the biggest insights from RSA and what founders need to understand about building and scaling in today’s market.

We cover:

• Key cybersecurity trends coming out of RSA 2026

• The shift from AI hype to real-world deployment (agents, attack surface changes)

• How AI is transforming both attackers and defenders

• Why execution speed and adaptability now matter more than vision

• What VCs actually look for in early-stage cybersecurity startups

• How to know if your idea is “venture scale”

• Common mistakes first-time founders make

We also dive into Decibel’s “Found Oasis” and why creating space for early-stage innovation is more important than ever in a crowded market.

If you’re a founder, operator, or working in cybersecurity - this episode will give you a clear, honest perspective on where the market is heading and what it really takes to succeed.

🎙️ Listen now and stay ahead of the curve.

Third party risk is rapidly becoming one of the biggest challenges in cybersecurity - but most organisations are still managing it with outdated approaches.

In this episode, I’m joined by Ronen Gottlib, Co-Founder & CEO of Shift Security, to break down why traditional third party risk management is no longer fit for purpose - and what needs to change.

We dive into:

• What third party risk really means in today’s environment

• Why questionnaires and “check-the-box” processes fall short

• The impact of SaaS, integrations, and AI on vendor risk

• The gap between compliance and actual security

• Why continuous visibility is now essential

• How organisations can move towards a more proactive approach

If you’re responsible for security, risk, or vendor management - or just trying to understand where the real exposure lies - this episode will give you a clear, practical perspective on what’s broken and how to think about fixing it.