Cybersecurity in the Age of AI: Why People Are Still Your Best Defence

At this year’s Dublin Tech Summit, a panel of security leaders sat down to answer a simple question: Is AI a cyber threat or a cyber shield? The answer was both, but the difference between the two often comes down to the people behind the screen.

The panel brought together three senior security voices, with the discussion moderated by Mark Kelly, Co-Founder of Alldus:

• Jane Corr, Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) at CIÉ, Ireland’s state-owned public transport group.
• Allan Cahill, Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) at Aer Lingus.
• Simon Collins, Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) at Allianz Partners.

Here is what stood out, and what it means if you are trying to keep your business safe.

 

AI is a multiplier

AI speeds things up for everyone. It helps defenders spot and stop attacks faster, but it also helps attackers move faster and hit harder.

Think of it like a power tool. In the right hands it does great work, but in the wrong hands it does damage at speed. The tool is not the deciding factor; the skill of the person using it is.

The basics matter more, not less

As AI models improve, more weak spots get found. That sounds worrying, but the answer is not new or fancy. The answer is doing the basics well, every day:

• Finding new vulnerabilities quickly
• Ranking them by risk
• Patching and fixing what matters most first

Simon Collins made the case for resilience over perfection. You will get hit at some point, but what counts is how fast you recover. Plan for the hit, not just the wall around it.

Your suppliers are part of your risk

Allan Cahill brought the conversation to the supply chain. Your security is only as strong as the partners you connect to.

A weak link in a third party vendor can become your problem in minutes. This makes supplier security a front line issue, not a box-ticking exercise.

 

 

There is no zero risk

Jane Corr put it plainly. Good leaders manage risk, but they do not pretend to remove it.

This is the mindset shift many boards still need. The goal is not a perfect wall; the goal is to understand your risks, reduce the big ones and be ready to respond when something gets through.

The real gap is talent

Here is the thread running through the whole panel. Tools change, threats change and the one constant is the need for skilled people who can use AI well and defend against it.

That is where many companies are stuck. The technology is moving faster than their teams can hire. You can buy the best security tools on the market, but without the right people they sit half-used.

How Alldus can help

We help companies hire the AI and cybersecurity talent they need to stay ahead.

Whether you are building a security team from scratch or adding specialist AI skills, we connect you with people who can do the work and lead it.

If AI has raised the stakes for your business, the smartest move is to get the right people in place.

Ready to hire? Talk to the Alldus team today and let us help you find the AI and Cyber talent your business needs.