The Cybersecurity Think Tank: GenAI Security gathered leading academics and executive security practitioners for an intensive, high-level discussion focused on the critical intersection of Generative AI (GenAI) and cybersecurity. The exclusive event was held at the Four Seasons Hotel Toronto, providing a setting suited for strategic and technical discourse.
Core Themes and Highlights
The central focus of the Think Tank was the dual nature of Generative AI both as an accelerant for sophisticated cyber threats and as a powerful new tool for defense. Key topics likely revolved around:
Securing AI Systems:
Addressing vulnerabilities inherent in large language models (LLMs) and the necessary defenses to protect AI infrastructures.
AI-Driven Offense and Defense:
Exploring how GenAI is being leveraged by malicious actors (e.g., sophisticated phishing) and how security teams can use it for threat detection and automation.
Research & Future Policy:
Discussing the academic frontiers of AI security and its implications for future governance and regulatory frameworks, emphasizing ethical deployment and risk management.
Venue, Speakers, and Sponsors
Venue: The event utilized the luxurious Four Seasons Hotel Toronto, facilitating a private and focused environment for the deep-dive, closed-door discussions necessary for a think tank format.
Speakers:
The event’s speakers were predominantly leading academics and research chairs, highlighting a strong emphasis on foundational science and future-forward strategy. The lineup included prominent research leaders such as Dr. Benjamin Fung (McGill University), Dr. Natalia Stakhanova (University of Saskatchewan), and Dr. Paria Shirani (University of Ottawa), all of whom hold Canada Research Chairs in cybersecurity. Executive perspective was provided by leaders like Ben Davies (CISO at Vector Institute) and Dr. Sahar Rahmani (Director of AI at Fullscript), ensuring a balance between theoretical research and real-world application.
Sponsors:
Financial and logistical support was provided by a coalition of global and specialized technology partners. Major industry heavyweights included AWS and VEEAM, demonstrating the broad corporate recognition of GenAI security as a top-tier business priority. This sponsorship coalition underscores the necessary public-private-academic collaboration required to tackle this complex domain.
YouTube Playlist
Related video content, including event footage and potentially session summaries, can be found via the organizer’s platform. For recordings and highlights, attendees and interested parties should check the official YouTube channel playlists provided by the host organization, siberX, at: https://www.youtube.com/@siberxorg/playlists
