I've been following cybersecurity startups and hackers for years, and I suddenly discovered how hackers are always ahead of the rest of us -- they have a better business model funding them in their proof of concept (POC) stage of development. To even begin protecting ourselves from their well-funded advances and attacks, cyberdefense and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies must be funded at the same level in the POC stage. Today, however, traditional investors not only want your technology running, they also need assurances that you already have a revenue stream -- which stifles potential new technology discovery at the POC level. And in some industries, this is dangerous. Consider the fast-paced world of cybersecurity, in which companies are offered traditional funding avenues as they promote their product's tech capabilities so people will invest.

The cyberdefense industry needs to quit playing catch-up and having a reactionary approach to cybersecurity. So what is this industry doing wrong, and how can we change it? We must recognize that our cyberdefense technologies are not working and will not work. Cases in point: Our most sensitive cyberoffense technologies have been hacked; power companies admit they would have great difficulty stopping a cyberattack and are being asked to be prepared to operate at much less than full capacity under a cyberattack; 70 percent of oil and gas companies have been attacked -- and the threat is growing. The cybersecurity industry is in chaos and needs to move toward new technologies -- cyberdefense technologies that are beginning to leverage analytics, machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI).

We must recognize that our cyberdefense technologies are not working and will not work. Cases in point: Our most sensitive cyberoffense technologies have been hacked; power companies admit they would have great difficulty stopping a cyberattack and are being asked to be prepared to operate at much less than full capacity under a cyberattack; 70 percent of oil and gas companies have been attacked -- and the threat is growing. The cybersecurity industry is in chaos and needs to move toward new technologies -- cyberdefense technologies that are beginning to leverage analytics, machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI). Hackers are taking advantage of the same technologies, so the cyberdefense industry needs to jump on board. Let's quit playing catch-up and instead take a proactive approach to cybersecurity.

We must recognize that our cyberdefense technologies are not working and will not work. Cases in point: Our most sensitive cyberoffense technologies have been hacked; power companies admit they would have great difficulty stopping a cyberattack and are being asked to be prepared to operate at much less than full capacity under a cyberattack; 70 percent of oil and gas companies have been attacked -- and the threat is growing. The cybersecurity industry is in chaos and needs to move toward new technologies -- cyberdefense technologies that are beginning to leverage analytics, machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI). Hackers are taking advantage of the same technologies, so the cyberdefense industry needs to jump on board. Let's quit playing catch-up and instead take a proactive approach to cybersecurity.