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Artificial intelligence (AI) will be front and centre at the 13th edition of GISEC Global taking place at Dubai World Trade Centre from today until Thursday. More than 750 top-tier cybersecurity companies will unveil their latest advances and innovations harnessing the power of AI and more at the event, where over 20,000 information security professionals and 350 plus infosec leaders from 130 countries are expected to converge.

The impact of AI on cybersecurity has revolutionised the way organisations detect, prevent and respond to cyberattacks. By 2030, the global market for AI-based cybersecurity products is estimated to touch $135 billion (Dh495 billion) from $15 billion in 2021, as per an Acumen Research and Consulting report. With cyberattacks and data breaches becoming more complex and sophisticated, more and more organisations are looking at AI and machine learning (ML) to detect and tackle threats that exploit vulnerabilities.

A global leader in AI-powered security, SentinelOne is at GISEC to spotlight its cutting-edge AI security analyst, Purple AI, which empowers organisations to identify threats earlier, respond faster, and stay ahead of attacks. 

“Through our AI-driven solutions, we provide organisations with the tools and intelligence to anticipate threats, manage vulnerabilities, and protect their digital assets anywhere in the world,

- Ezzeldin Hussein, Regional Senior Director, Solution Engineering – META at SentinelOne

Cybersecurity events like GISEC Global provide a great platform for Middle East organisations to meet with security experts to understand the current digital landscape, says Sujoy Banerjee, Associate Director – MEA at ManageEngine. A division of Zoho Corporation and leading provider of enterprise IT management solutions, ManageEngine will showcase its suite of security products, including its SIEM solution, Log360, which is strengthened by its latest ML-powered exploit triad analytics feature at the event.

We will have experts at our booth D60 to explain how our suite of products can be customised to address the different security needs of an organisation.

- Sujoy Banerjee, Associate Director – MEA at ManageEngine

As growth and demand for efficiency drive digital transformation in the region, the need for robust cybersecurity solutions is critical. “There has been a rapid adoption of cloud technologies with a recent report from McKinsey & Company suggesting that cloud services could deliver as much as $183 billion in value by 2030, generated from creating and scaling new products,” explains Maher Jadallah, Senior Director Middle East & North Africa, Tenable. “Organisations are looking to invest in technology that will help them capitalise on opportunities and deliver increased functionality. And we plan to be alongside them, empowering them to achieve this securely.”

We want to educate security teams that they can keep threat actors out of their infrastructure, helping them to change focus from constantly firefighting to proactively addressing their cyber risks.

- Maher Jadallah, Senior Director Middle East & North Africa, Tenable

Double-edged sword

However, Ned Baltagi, Managing Director – Middle East, Turkey and Africa of SANS Institute, is of the opinion that although AI is transforming industries across the globe, it remains a double-edged sword in cybersecurity. “While it enables more sophisticated and automated threat detection, adversaries are simultaneously leveraging AI to launch more complex and adaptive attacks. So ongoing research and training are crucial – this is where the SANS Institute comes in. We recently launched a new training course, AIS247: AI Security Essentials for Business Leaders that delves into the unprecedented adoption of GenAI tools in business and the pivotal role of cybersecurity in AI development. With courses like AIS247, professionals can better understand the risks in AI implementation and develop secure organisational AI frameworks.

“We want to instil a culture of continuous cybersecurity learning. Platforms like GISEC connect us with government leaders, international and regional industry players, and partners to engage on how we can mitigate these risks and discuss proactive steps towards tightening cybersecurity measures within these sectors.”