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As AI adoption accelerates, cybersecurity risk is evolving faster than most organizations are prepared for.

In this episode of The Signal Room, host Chris Hutchins is joined by Anita Mareedu, a network security engineer at Cadence, to explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping cybersecurity, national security, and workforce readiness.

Recorded at the Data First Conference in Las Vegas, this conversation dives into real-world cybersecurity challenges across industries, including healthcare, finance, government, and semiconductor design. Anita shares her journey from electrical engineering and VLSI research into network and application security, offering a grounded perspective on how AI both accelerates productivity and expands the attack surface.

We discuss why AI systems must be secured as aggressively as they are deployed, how the CIA triad (confidentiality, integrity, availability) applies differently across industries, and what leaders need to understand about data exposure, access controls, and compliance as AI becomes embedded into everyday workflows.

This episode is especially relevant for leaders navigating AI adoption, cybersecurity professionals managing expanding risk, and students or early-career professionals wondering how to prepare for an AI-driven future of work.

Key topics covered

• How AI is changing cybersecurity and network security
• AI risk management and agentic AI concerns
• National security implications of AI and data exposure
• Industry-specific security priorities: healthcare, finance, government
• Application security, API security, and cloud environments
• Compliance frameworks including NIST, HIPAA, and SOC
• Workforce transformation and career pathways in cybersecurity
• How to learn, adapt, and stay relevant as technology evolves

Chapters

00:00 AI, cybersecurity, and why risk is accelerating
02:50 From VLSI to network security: a career journey
07:40 Application security, APIs, and modern attack surfaces
12:30 AI productivity vs. AI security risk
15:20 National security, data exposure, and sensitive information
18:10 Industry differences: healthcare, finance, government
21:00 Workforce fear, job security, and AI transformation
24:00 Advice for students and early-career professionals
27:00 Where to start learning cybersecurity today
30:00 Closing reflections

If this conversation resonated, share it with a colleague working in AI, cybersecurity, or technology leadership. AI is here to stay. How we secure it will shape everything that comes next.

Stay curious. Stay human.

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