Five things I am looking for this week at the RSA Conference

This week is the annual RSAC Conference (RSAC) at Moscone Center in San Francisco. RSAC is a massive cybersecurity-focused conference with everything you could imagine in the world of cybersecurity in one place.

I’ve attended RSAC for many years and while solutions evolve each year, this year I’m looking for something very different. Typically, you see the incremental step function of solutions with new technology, methodologies and approaches. That’s great…but today there is much more.

We are now just 2.5 years in since the advent of generative AI. In those short 2.5 years, a LOT has changed. Plus, companies have accelerated their use of AI technologies. And now we are in the Agentic Era and humanistic interactions.

Areas of Focus for RSAC

From a CIO and CISO perspective, here are a few things I’m looking for at RSAC this week:

1. Enterprise tools leveraging AI: Not just another copilot bolted on to an existing tool. I’m looking for enterprise solutions that are deeply leveraging AI to bring customer value.

2. Reducing risk: New solutions or changes to tools that reduce the risk profile for enterprises. Enhancements to network security, IAM, data management and governance are a few examples.

3. Accelerate time to value: Automation is one way…but not the only way. New solutions and methodologies that raise insights not previously possible are two other potential paths.

4. Increase security posture: As the threats to enterprises increase in complexity, fervor, and sophistication, CIOs and CISOs are looking at opportunities to not just change the rules but change the game to put them in a better overall position.

5. Security for AI: Beyond enterprise tools leveraging AI, CIOs are looking for ways to ensure guardrails are put around new AI solutions. It is partially the tool itself, but also the data.

Changing the (cybersecurity) game

Adversaries are not playing by the rules and neither should you. But you do have to be smarter about how you play the game. Cloud, and now AI, are shifting how the game is played. AI can be a force multiplier and also a threat. Knowing how to navigate its use and leveraging your enterprise solutions partners is key. Understanding how your adversary is using this new technology is a key pillar to your gameplan.

Based on my initial conversations, this week should be very interesting. I’m looking forward to engaging with the major enterprise vendors in the cybersecurity space along with several new entrants that are doing some very novel things. More to come…stay tuned!

Originally on AVOA.com: https://avoa.com/2025/04/26/five-things-i-am-looking-for-this-week-at-the-rsa-conference/