The rapid adoption of artificial intelligence is creating significant security challenges for organizations, necessitating a stronger role for channel partners in governance and risk management, according to Arn Net.
Fortinet Asia Pacific senior vice president Luca Simonelli warns that informal AI usage and the emergence of agentic AI pose substantial risks to sensitive data. As employees utilize public AI tools, they often inadvertently expose confidential information. Furthermore, autonomous agents designed to pursue specific goals may bypass access controls, potentially causing unintended harm. Simonelli notes that while only 35% of large organizations have adopted AI, small and mid-sized businesses are lagging significantly, creating a critical opportunity for managed security service providers to bridge the gap.
He emphasizes that security must be managed as a unified platform rather than in silos. To address these vulnerabilities, Fortinet is shifting its partner strategy toward training providers to deliver comprehensive security outcomes throughout the entire technology lifecycle. By focusing on design, deployment, and ongoing management, partners can help organizations establish the necessary governance to safely navigate the evolving AI landscape while mitigating the risks associated with autonomous systems probing restricted networks.
Source: Arn Net
