Why AI-Driven Arms Race Needs Better Threat Intelligence

Artificial intelligence-driven cyberthreats now operate at high speed, scale and persistence. Cyber defenders need expanded telemetry, a global research team and an advanced XDR platform to predict and suppress adversaries defenders, said Tom Kellermann, vice president of AI security and threat intelligence at TrendAI.

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Today’s threat landscape is dominated by geopolitical tension, coordinated nation-state activity and rapid AI adoption. Adversaries are now sharing access, automating kill chains and exploiting infrastructure at scale, with Chinese threat actors rivaling or exceeding U.S. capabilities using AI-driven operations, Kellermann said. At the same time, cybercriminals are pairing agentic AI with malware that uses embedded language models to move laterally, maintain persistence and execute attacks with minimal human input.

“Operating at machine speed is no longer optional – just like aviation warfare is no longer optional,” he said.

In this video interview with ISMG, Kellermann also discussed:

• The growth of autonomous attack campaigns and AI-powered kill chains;
• The impact of collaboration between China, Russia and North Korea threat groups;
• The need for AI-driven defense, telemetry and global threat intelligence.

Kellermann, who leads AI security and threat intelligence at TrendAI, previously served in leadership roles for cybersecurity at HITRUST, Contrast Security, VMware and Trend Micro. He was the CEO of Strategic Cyber Ventures. He previously served on the Commission on Cyber Security for the 44th president of the United States and was an adviser to the International Cyber Security Protection Alliance.