Keynote – Nikesh Arora
Summary
Arora warned that AI development is outpacing governance, security, and workforce readiness. He identified three imminent challenges:
- Governance & accountability – As AI agents gain autonomy, legal responsibility for their actions becomes uncertain.
- Human impact – AI threatens job displacement; reskilling must be five‑times the current talent pool.
- Cybersecurity – Agentic AI expands the attack surface (e.g., compromised AI agents, data leakage).
Palo Alto Networks is developing AI‑specific security fabrics, including identity graphs for non‑human agents and “kill‑switches” for rogue AI. Arora stressed that regulation must be balanced, avoiding stifling innovation while protecting society.
He concluded with optimism: AI will create new roles and industries, but only if trust, safety, and inclusive policies are embedded from day one.
Key Takeaways
- Governance lag: Legal frameworks must catch up to agentic AI autonomy.
- Reskilling imperative: Workforce must grow five‑fold to meet AI‑driven demand.
- AI‑specific cybersecurity: Identity graphs and kill‑switch mechanisms are essential.
- Balanced regulation: Protect society without choking innovation.
- Optimistic outlook: AI will generate new jobs if trust and safety are prioritized.