Why 'Emerging Threats' Are Harder to Prioritize in the AI Era

AI-Driven Security Operations , API Security , Cloud Data Security & Resilience Why 'Emerging Threats' Are Harder to Prioritize in the AI Era Increased Speed, Scale and Automation Overwhelm Security Teams, Strategies Tom Field (SecurityEditor) • March 30, 2026     10 Minutes    Share Post Share Credit Eligible Get Permission Audio Player 00:00 00:00 Use Up/Down Arrow keys to increase or decrease volume. Artificial intelligence is accelerating cyberattacks faster than organizations can prioritize them, forcing security leaders to rethink how they define and defend against “emerging threats.” Brent Maynard, senior director of security strategy at Akamai, says most modern threats aren’t new - but are now amplified by speed, scale and automation, creating challenges around visibility, ownership and aligning technical risk with business impact. “AI has lowered the cost of the attack. It's accelerated all the reconnaissance and enabled adversaries to iterate in real time, and this makes the prioritization much harder.” In the interview (see audio link below photo), Maynard also discussed: Why signal overload, siloed teams and unclear ownership complicate threat prioritization; How organizations should shift from prevention to containment through architectural and operational preparedness; The importance of cross-functional exercises to build resilience against AI-driven and API-based attacks. Maynard is the senior director of security technology and strategy at Akamai, with over 17 years of experience driving innovation in cybersecurity. He has led teams across the financial services sector and major cloud service providers, developing groundbreaking security solutions and advancing the industry’s approach to threat detection and response. Maynard's contributions include holding a patent for automated security investigations and shaping transformative products that enhance the SOC experience. A trusted advisor to the intelligence community and federal law enforcement, he has guided high-profile cyber investigations and collaborated on solutions to complex security challenges. A frequent speaker at events like AWS Reinvent, Black Hat and RSA, Maynard combines technical expertise with visionary leadership to empower organizations to stay ahead of emerging threats.