The Future of AI-Driven Cyber Defense

Join the CSIS Economic Security and Technology Department on Wednesday, July 15th, from 9:30 am to 12:00 pm for a discussion on the growing role of artificial intelligence in cyber defense and what it means for the future of national security, critical infrastructure protection, and digital resilience. As cyber threats become more sophisticated and persistent, governments and industry are increasingly turning to AI-enabled tools to detect intrusions, automate threat analysis, strengthen network defense, and respond to attacks at machine speed.

The conversation will examine both the opportunities and risks associated with AI-enabled cyber defense, including questions around automation, escalation, workforce implications, infrastructure security, and the reliability of AI systems in high-stakes environments. Panelists will also explore how adversaries are leveraging AI to enhance offensive cyber operations, what this evolving threat landscape means for defenders, and how policymakers can balance innovation, security, and accountability as AI becomes more deeply integrated into cyber operations.

Run of Show:  

9:10 am – 9:20 am Speakers arrive at CSIS  

9:30 am – 9:35 am Opening remarks: Matt Pearl, Director, CSIS Strategic Technologies Program 

9:35 am – 10:35 am Panel 1: AI & Cyber Defense at an Inflection Point, moderated by Lauryn Williams, Deputy Director and Senior Fellow, CSIS Strategic Technologies Program, featuring Michael Duffy, U.S. Federal CISO (Acting), Office of Management and Budget, Mieke Eoyang, Visiting Professor at Carnegie Mellon University and former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Cyber Policy, U.S. Department of Defense, Nicole Isaac, Vice President, Global Public Policy, Cisco, and Jay Gazlay, Deputy Associate Director, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency  

10:35 am – 11:35 am Panel 2: Building Resilience: The Way Ahead, moderated by Matt Pearl, Director, CSIS Strategic Technologies Program, featuring Aalok Mehta, Director, CSIS Wadhwani AI Center, Carol Kuntz, Associate Fellow, CSIS Strategic Technologies Program, Patricia Ephraim Eke, Director, Cybersecurity and Emerging Tech Policy, Microsoft, and Chris Cornillie, Manager, Cloud Security Policy, Google.  

11:35 am – 11:40 am: Closing Remarks 

This event is made possible through funding from Google.org.