In celebration of Iridius winning their first award, Phillip and Alistair welcome the CEO, Mike Kropp, onto the podcast. The discussion reveals Iridius's recent achievement of winning their first award at the ISG AI Impact Summit in Boston, covering the experience and significance of this recognition. Mike shares insights from the event, including pivotal discussions on AI implementation, the role of human oversight, and the hurdles companies face in production deployment due to security concerns. Additionally, Mike delves into a local event in Kirkland that focused on AI's regional impact, touching on issues like job growth and housing affordability in the Pacific Northwest. The episode wraps up with Mike's personal interests and career advice rooted in passion and discovery.

Takeaways:

• Strategic Insight from Industry Leaders: Learn from strategic insights provided by industry leaders like ISG and consulting firms like IBM, which are setting benchmarks in AI implementation. Track the progress of other companies and their AI strategies to inform your own approach.
• Human-Centric AI Implementation: Recognize the importance of keeping humans in the loop during AI implementation to maintain control and oversight.
• Cultural and Behavioral Aspects of AI: Explore how to align AI agents with company culture and values to ensure seamless integration and positive interaction with human employees. Consider the potential for AI to influence and shape corporate culture, and plan accordingly.
• Real-World AI Applications: Follow up on developments in how AI is impacting specific sectors, such as real estate and job growth, particularly in tech hubs like the Pacific Northwest.
• Community and Regional Impact: Participate in local forums and discussions to understand how AI will affect your region and industry. Be aware of the socioeconomic impacts, such as housing affordability and job market changes, that technological advancements may bring.

Quote of the Show:

• “ It's super exciting to see how customers reacted to what we're building. They clearly saw that implementing safe, responsible AI in their organizations and being able to do it fast with confidence is clearly something they're super interested in. ” - Mike Kropp

Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-k-kropp/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phillip-swan/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alistaln/
• Website: https://iridius.ai/

Ways to Tune In:

• Transistor: https://agenticinsider.show/
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2fCCuVl6tL5p2kEAwFCQNJ
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-agentic-insider/id1807346381
• Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9fe0482d-d798-4420-a93a-fc6653bce437
• Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/the-agentic-insider-6057241
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@iridiusAI

If you aren’t investing in AI, you’re going to get left behind. Today, Phillip and Alistair welcome Ray Ellis, Head of AI Security at Philip Morris International (PMI). Ray, an AI enthusiast with a background in information security, discusses his journey from the Royal Tank Regiment to leading AI security initiatives at PMI. He shares insights on AI-driven security strategies, the importance of gamifying training, and the challenges of integrating AI securely. Ray highlights PMI's approach to AI adoption, including decentralized assessments, third-party risk management, and future-proofing against emerging technologies like quantum computing. The episode also delves into the successes and obstacles faced in AI security, offering valuable advice for those looking to enter the field.

Takeaways:

• Educational Gamification: Explore innovative training methods, such as gamification, to enhance engagement and learning. Consider creating interactive, game-based training modules for your team to learn about AI security risks and compliance.
• Understand AI Risks: Develop a comprehensive understanding of AI-related risks, such as prompt injection and data hallucination. Identify these risks early and design controls to mitigate them effectively.
• Maturity Models: Use maturity models to assess and improve the security readiness of AI solutions within your organization. Track your progress and update your strategy as your organization matures.
• Strategic Risk Management: Implement a risk management framework to evaluate AI initiatives based on their impact on productivity and information security value.
• Security by Design: When developing AI solutions, integrate security measures from the outset rather than as an afterthought. Ensure that all stages from ideation to deployment consider security implications.
• Regular Audits: Conduct regular audits of AI systems and their security frameworks to identify and rectify any potential vulnerabilities. This could include both internal audits and third-party assessments to ensure a comprehensive review.

Quote of the Show:

• “The only thing stopping you is you.” - Ray Ellis

Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ray-ellis-/
• Website: https://www.pmi.com/
• AI Cyber Hunter 1: A New Risk: https://ray51773.github.io/AI-Hunter_1/ (This introduces the New Risk of AI, and you need to speak to the SOC and CTI to understand the risks)
• AI Hunter 2: Agents Strike Back: https://ray51773.github.io/AI-Hunter_2/ (This is focused on Agents and the new types of risk that they bring)
• AI Hunter 3: Return of the Governance: https://ray51773.github.io/AI-Hunter_3/ (This is focused about AI governance and what the types of checks will be carried out and why)

Ways to Tune In:

• Transistor: https://agenticinsider.show/
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2fCCuVl6tL5p2kEAwFCQNJ
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-agentic-insider/id1807346381
• Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9fe0482d-d798-4420-a93a-fc6653bce437
• Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/the-agentic-insider-6057241
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@iridiusAI

There is more to AI security than just technology! Taiye Lambo, a cybersecurity expert and the Founder and Chief AI Officer at Holistic Information Security Practitioner Institute, joins the podcast today to dive into AI security. Taiye discusses his background, including his role as the first CISO of Atlanta and his work with the Federal Reserve Bank. He delves into the future he aims to solve for: creating a world where technology, particularly AI, is a force for good. Taiye emphasizes the importance of identifying and mitigating AI risks while ensuring global cooperation for safe and responsible AI innovation. He also touches on the impact generative AI is having on the security industry and the need for a balanced approach that integrates human oversight. The episode concludes with Taiye's insights on the importance of responsible AI practices and the role of trust and accountability in AI systems.

Takeaways:

• Focus on People and Processes: While technology is important, addressing weaknesses in people and processes can mitigate a significant portion of security threats. Invest in training and process improvements.
• Adopt a Trustworthy AI Model: Establish trust by implementing responsible AI practices, such as accountability, transparency, security, and privacy.
• Prepare for AI’s Impact on Jobs: Anticipate how generative AI might reduce the need for certain manual tasks. Consider how AI can be used to enhance job functions rather than merely replace them, and prepare to upskill employees accordingly.
• Prioritize Data Governance: Effective data governance is crucial. Implement robust data classification programs to prevent the mishandling of sensitive information.
• Accountability in AI Deployment: Ensure that there is clear accountability at the highest organizational levels for AI systems, especially those with the potential to cause significant harm if they fail.
• Positive Thinking and Innovation: View technological advancements as opportunities to solve real problems. Approach projects with a mindset of finding those win-win scenarios where AI can be a force for positive change.
• Learn from History: Avoid repetition of past mistakes by learning from historical problems and solutions. Use this knowledge to inform current practices and future innovations.

Quote of the Show:

• “AI's having a major impact, but I feel like we shouldn't be afraid of it. We should embrace it.” - Taiye Lambo

Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/taiyelambo/
• Website: https://taiyelambo.com/
• Website: https://www.hispi.org/

Ways to Tune In:

• Transistor: https://agenticinsider.show/
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2fCCuVl6tL5p2kEAwFCQNJ
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-agentic-insider/id1807346381
• Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9fe0482d-d798-4420-a93a-fc6653bce437
• Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/the-agentic-insider-6057241
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@iridiusAI