September 7, 2026
by Cybersecurity is changing rapidly, new technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), AI-powered tools, and quantum computing are changing the way organizations protect themselves, but they are also creating new security challenges.
AI is already helping cybersecurity teams detect threats faster, respond to attacks, and automate many tasks. However, the same AI technologies can also be used by attackers. This means organizations now need to think not only about using AI for security, but also about protecting the AI tools themselves.
Another major change is coming from quantum computing. These powerful computers could eventually break some of the encryption methods used today to protect sensitive information. Organizations therefore need to start preparing now for new, more secure ways of protecting data.
AI also raises another important question: how can the same technology be used for both good and harmful purposes? AI can help defend organizations, but it can also help attackers create more advanced and sophisticated attacks. This creates new challenges around security, risk, governance, and responsible use of AI.
At the PECB Conference 2026, taking place on October 7-8 at Precise House Mantegna Roma, four expert-led talks will look at these important developments. The sessions will explore how AI is changing cybersecurity teams, how organizations can protect AI-powered security tools, the risks and opportunities of using AI for both defense and attacks, and how organizations can prepare for a future shaped by quantum computing.
The Human-Agent SOC and the Future of Security Operations
Traditionally, SOC teams have relied mainly on human security analysts to investigate alerts and respond to potential attacks. Today, AI-powered agents can take on some of these tasks independently. They can analyze huge amounts of information, identify unusual activity, recognize patterns, automate repetitive work, and help security teams respond to threats more quickly.
But giving AI more responsibility also creates new challenges. Organizations need to know what these AI agents are doing, what systems they can access, who is responsible for their decisions, and how much control humans should maintain over them. The key question is no longer whether AI will become part of cybersecurity, but how humans and AI can work together safely and effectively.
Dave Lewis, Global Advisory CISO at 1Password, will explore how AI is changing the way security teams operate and what the Security Operations Center of the future could look like as AI agents become a bigger part of everyday cybersecurity work.
Dave Lewis brings more than 30 years of experience in the cybersecurity industry. Throughout his career, he has worked in security operations and management, including in areas involving critical infrastructure and at organizations such as Akamai, IBM, Duo Security, Cisco, and AMD.
Today, as Global Advisory CISO at 1Password, he focuses on new and emerging security challenges facing organizations. He is also the founder of Liquidmatrix Security Digest and has been actively involved in the global cybersecurity community.
The AI Dual-Use Dilemma: When Defense Tools Become Attack Vectors
History has taught us that there is always another side of the story, as well as another side to this technology. The same AI capabilities that can help protect an organization can also be used by attackers. For organizations, this creates a new challenge. It is no longer enough to ask how AI can be used effectively. Organizations also need to understand the risks, establish clear rules for its use, and decide how much trust and access AI systems should have.
Valeria Lazzaroli, President of ENIA – National Entity for Artificial Intelligence, will explore this growing challenge and discuss what it means for organizations operating at the intersection of AI, cybersecurity, risk, and responsible innovation.
Valeria brings experience across several fields, including artificial intelligence, risk management, economics, organizational psychology, and innovation. She is President of ENIA and Chief AI & Risk Officer at ARISK, a deep-tech company focused on using AI to help organizations manage risk. She has also held leadership roles in the banking and financial sectors and teaches executive programs focused on AI and risk.
Her perspective highlights an important point: protecting AI is not just a technical issue. Organizations also need clear rules, accountability, risk management, and responsible decision-making to determine how AI should be used, what it should be allowed to do, and when it can be trusted.
The Quantum Deadline: Leading the Quantum-Safe Transition
While artificial intelligence (AI) is changing cybersecurity today, another technology could have a major impact on how organizations protect information in the future: quantum computing.
While this technology could bring major benefits, it could also create a serious cybersecurity challenge. In the future, powerful quantum computers may be able to break some of the encryption methods currently used to protect online communications, financial transactions, identities, and sensitive information.
This means organizations cannot simply wait until quantum computers become widely available. They need to start preparing now by understanding which systems and data depend on current encryption methods and planning how they can move to stronger, quantum-safe security.
André M. König, CEO of Global Quantum Intelligence and Chairman of OneQuantum, will explore what this coming change could mean for organizations and why preparing for quantum-related risks should already be part of cybersecurity planning.
König is a technology and business leader focused on the global quantum technology industry. As CEO of Global Quantum Intelligence, he works at the intersection of quantum technology, business strategy, market intelligence, and emerging technologies. He is also Chairman of OneQuantum, a global community focused on quantum technology with more than 15,000 members.
His session will focus on the practical and strategic questions organizations need to consider as quantum technology develops, including where they may already depend on vulnerable encryption and what steps they can take to prepare.
AI Under Attack: Securing the Security Tools Themselves
Every “invention” comes with its own challenges, and this one is not for the weak: the tools designed to protect organizations can also become targets for attackers.
When organizations use AI in security systems and other technical tools, attackers may try to manipulate the information AI receives, trick it into making incorrect decisions, or exploit weaknesses in the technology. If an AI-powered security tool is compromised, the impact could go far beyond the AI system itself and affect the wider organization.
Atıl Samancıoğlu, Founder & AI Expert at Academy Club, will explore this growing challenge and explain why organizations need to think about how AI-powered security tools can be attacked, not only how they can be used.
Atıl is a technology entrepreneur and educator with more than a decade of experience in software development. He is the Founder of Academy Club, CTO at Orphex, and an instructor at Boğaziçi University. Through his educational work, he has reached more than 500,000 students across 170 countries, teaching topics including AI, software development, and cybersecurity.
His experience brings together practical technology development, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and education. This gives him a unique perspective on how organizations can prepare for a future where AI becomes part of everyday security and technology operations.
Although these four sessions examine different technologies and challenges, they ultimately point toward the same conclusion: the future of cybersecurity will not be defined by one technology, but by how organizations adapt to the interaction between people, AI, emerging technologies, and evolving threats.
At PECB Conference 2026, these four speakers will bring different experiences and perspectives to that conversation, helping attendees look beyond today’s threats and consider what organizations need to do to remain secure in the technologies and threat landscapes of tomorrow.
October 7-8, 2026
Precise House Mantegna Roma
See you there!
Facebook
X
LinkedIn