AI reshapes data & cyber risk for Australian firms

Technology executives say artificial intelligence is reshaping data, security and governance demands for Australian organisations, as the sector marks Worldwide AI Appreciation Day.

Senior leaders from ClickHouse, Secure Code Warrior and Horizon3.ai said the rapid adoption of AI tools is forcing boards and technology teams to reassess infrastructure decisions and cyber risk strategies.

Tanya Bragin, Vice President of Product and Marketing at ClickHouse, said local organisations face a structural shift in how they handle data for AI-enabled services.

"Australian organisations shouldn't see AI as just another workload on top of their data platform. It substantially changes workload requirements across every existing use case."

Bragin said application design and user interaction are changing as AI tools move into mainstream production environments.

She pointed to agentic applications, conversational analytics and AI-driven observability as examples. Those use cases require higher concurrency and real-time performance across large volumes of detailed data, while maintaining strict cost controls.

"Applications are becoming agentic. Analytics interfaces are becoming conversational. Observability is moving from static dashboards to AI-driven investigation. The list goes on. In each case, the underlying data requirements converge on high concurrency, real-time query performance, full-fidelity data at scale, and cost-efficiency."

Many existing data platforms pre-date this wave of AI, Bragin said, and were built around different assumptions about workload patterns and query behaviour.

"Incumbent platforms weren't built for this. The platform choices Australian organisations make in the next few years will set the ceiling on everything that follows: how fast teams move, what products get built, what the business can see. Handling today's workloads is table stakes. The real test is what your AI applications will require."

Cybersecurity leaders are also reassessing how AI is changing both offensive and defensive tactics. AI coding tools, automated attack frameworks and AI-enabled analysis are altering the threat landscape, they said.

Pieter Danhieux, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Secure Code Warrior, said security teams are feeling the strain of rapid AI deployment and constant product changes.

"The challenges with AI implementation, constant updates, and the race for industry dominance are coming thick and fast, and security professionals are among the most affected by its vast risk profile. It's a fascinating, slightly terrifying time to be in the cybersecurity space, as we really have a two-pronged issue: AI coding tools contain inherent, predictable vulnerability fingerprints that can push insecure code to production at warp speed, and we have tools that can potentially revolutionise how we approach everything from penetration testing to reverse engineering insidious attacks and stopping them in their tracks.

"If there is one thing to truly appreciate in this era, it's how we can work together, as the tight-knit community we have always been, to create human-led, AI-augmented cyber innovation that is a force for positive change, safer software overall, and a whole new era for developers and security professionals alike to grow and apply their expertise where it matters most. It will take leaps and bounds in AI governance, oversight, and upskilling, but I remain excited for the sheer possibility in the space," Danhieux said.

From the perspective of offensive security testing and breach simulation, Horizon3.ai sees AI as a major factor in how attacks are planned and executed. The company operates in the penetration testing and autonomous security validation market across Asia Pacific and Japan.

Gareth Cox, Vice President of Sales, Asia Pacific and Japan, at Horizon3.ai, said executives need to treat AI as a core part of cyber risk planning rather than a side issue.

"The boom in AI innovation and investments means cybersecurity needs to be at the forefront of business leaders' minds. It has introduced new risk surfaces, particularly with adversaries using AI to accelerate their efforts to steal data and IP, or leveraging AI to move quicker to compromise accounts for ransom. Organisations must also consider how their internal AI programs map to their company's data security policies, risk scoring, auditing, and regulatory compliance.

"Cybercriminals are quickly adapting, exploiting vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, and credentials with AI-driven tactics and techniques. These include attacks such as data poisoning, manipulation of machine learning models, or the use of AI to conduct highly sophisticated cyberattacks. In addition, integrating AI tools into hybrid architectures can lead to inconsistencies in security protocols if not carefully governed.

"In the cybersecurity arena, AI has shifted the advantage to the attacker, enabling nefarious players to attack with unprecedented scale and speed. Organisations are now adapting by using cybersecurity vendors that provide production-safe AI to continuously test their controls. For defenders, it is time to fight AI with AI. Adopting a proactive, monitoring approach is critical for building trustworthy AI systems and avoiding future costly retrofits or compliance failures. At the same time, effectively communicating complex AI risks to business leaders and boards is essential. IT and cybersecurity risks, including those associated with AI, are no longer optional considerations-they are strategic imperatives," Cox said.