Why has machine learning become so critical to cybersecurity? With machine learning, cybersecurity systems can analyze patterns and learn from them to help prevent similar attacks and respond to changing behavior. Machine learning helps cybersecurity teams be more pro-active in preventing threats and responding to active attacks in real time. Machine learning can reduce the amount of time spent on routine tasks and enable organizations to use their resources more strategically. In short, machine learning can make cybersecurity simpler, more proactive, less expensive and far more effective.

As a technology leader, you get asked all the time: Are you operating better and faster? Often, someone will throw in the conversation words like artificial intelligence or machine learning to see if you're keeping up with emerging technologies. Artificial intelligence can be a confusing term. It's become a general catch-all for a range of methods and technologies. In cybersecurity, there are three common uses where the term AI comes up that businesses need to understand to see if they're really using AI, and more importantly, what they expect to get out of it.

Artificial intelligence no longer is the "next new thing." AI, machine learning, deep learning and other forms of algorithmic-based, automated processes are now mainstream and on their way to being deeply integrated into a wide range of front office, back office and in-the-field operations. And we certainly have seen a lot of great examples of AI being used to spot potential cybersecurity threats and preventing their infection on an organization. As business leaders, you have given at least some consideration to the notion that AI will completely replace soon your security operations center (SOC). After all, you've probably calculated the money it takes to run your SOC 24/7/365, and what it means when your CISO comes to an executive lunch or the board meeting and explains that we need more resources – i.e., people, technology and money – to fight new and more security threats.