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Sophia Nicole Salivio
news editor
Technology industry executives say artificial intelligence is reshaping data, security and governance demands for Australian organizations as the sector marks World AI Appreciation Day.
Senior leaders at ClickHouse, Secure Code Warrior, and Horizon3.ai said the rapid adoption of AI tools is forcing boards and technology teams to reevaluate their infrastructure decisions and cyber risk strategies.
Tanya Bragin, vice president of product and marketing at ClickHouse, said local organizations are facing a structural shift in how data is processed for AI-enabled services.
“Australian organizations should not view AI as just a workload on a data platform. AI will significantly change workload requirements across all existing use cases.”
Bragin said application design and user interactions are changing as AI tools move into mainstream production environments.
She pointed to agent applications, conversation analytics, and AI-driven observability as examples. These use cases require higher concurrency and real-time performance across large amounts of detailed data while maintaining tight cost controls.
“Applications are becoming agentic. Analytics interfaces are becoming conversational. Observability is moving from static dashboards to AI-driven investigations, and 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 predate this AI wave and were built on different assumptions about workload patterns and query behavior, Bragin said.
“Existing platforms weren’t built for this. The platform choices Australian organizations make over the next few years will set the limits on everything from how fast teams can move, what products can be built and what businesses can see. Handling today’s workloads is a high-stakes gamble. The real test is what the AI applications will require.”
Cybersecurity leaders are also reevaluating how AI is changing both offensive and defensive tactics. AI coding tools, automated attack frameworks, and AI-powered analytics are changing the threat landscape.
Pieter Danhieux, co-founder and CEO of Secure Code Warrior, said security teams are feeling the strain of rapid AI adoption and constant product changes.
“With AI implementation, constant updates, and competition for industry dominance becoming increasingly intense, security professionals are most affected by their enormous risk profile. It’s a fascinating and slightly scary time to be in the cybersecurity field, because we really have a two-pronged problem. AI coding tools contain unique and predictable fingerprints of vulnerabilities that can push dangerous code into production at breakneck speed. And we have a tool that could revolutionize the way we approach everything from intrusion. We’re testing it to reverse engineer and thwart insidious attacks.
“If there’s one thing to be truly grateful for in this era, it’s how we come together as an ever-close community to create human-driven, AI-enhanced cyber innovations that are the driving force behind positive change, safer software across the board, and a whole new era for developers and security professionals alike to grow and apply their expertise in the areas that matter most.” “While significant advances are needed in the governance, oversight and upskilling of the space, I remain excited by the possibilities,” Danhue said.
From an offensive security testing and breach simulation perspective, Horizon3.ai believes that AI is a key element in how attacks are planned and executed. The company operates in the penetration testing and autonomous security verification markets across the Asia-Pacific region and Japan.
Gareth Cox, vice president of Asia Pacific and Japan sales at Horizon3.ai, said executives need to treat AI as a core part of their cyber risk plans, rather than a side issue.
“The boom in AI innovation and investment means business leaders need to make cybersecurity a top priority, creating new risk dimensions, especially when adversaries use AI to accelerate efforts to steal data and intellectual property, or leverage AI to move faster to compromise accounts for ransom. You also need to consider how you handle scoring, auditing, and regulatory compliance.
“Cybercriminals are using AI-driven tactics and techniques to rapidly adapt and exploit vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, and credentials. This includes attacks such as data poisoning, manipulating machine learning models, and using AI to carry out sophisticated cyberattacks. Additionally, integrating AI tools into hybrid architectures can lead to inconsistencies in security protocols if not carefully managed.”
“In the field of cybersecurity, AI has shifted the advantage to the attackers, allowing malicious players to attack at unprecedented scale and speed. Organizations are now adapting by leveraging cybersecurity vendors that provide secure AI in production environments and continuously testing controls. For defenders, it’s time to fight with AI against AI. Build trustworthy AI systems and future-proof them. Adopting a proactive monitoring approach is critical to avoid costly retrofits and non-compliance. At the same time, it is essential to effectively communicate complex AI risks to business leaders and boards of directors. Risks, including those associated with IT and cybersecurity AI, are no longer an optional consideration but a strategic imperative,” Cox said.
