Walk around any cybersecurity show, and you are assailed by vendors touting AI as the panacea to save the SOC. As we know, with all marketing cycles, there is incredible hype before we finally get to a solution. In a candid discussion, Martin Jakobsen, Managing Director of Cybanetix, cuts through the hype in this podcast, arguing that the autonomous SOC is a myth.
Jakobsen says, “AI needs to be seen as the next evolution of the SOC, as opposed to a replacement of the SOC. A lot of people talk about the autonomous SOC, which is nonsensical to me.”
He warns that attackers now use AI for reconnaissance at unprecedented speeds. Copilot-enabled tools let intruders map admin accounts in minutes. It means that defenders must respond faster, which is where AI can help. Yet Jakobsen insists humans remain essential. He notes that 99.9% of alerts are false positives. An AI trained on these statistics might simply dismiss every alert as noise.
Jakobsen’s approach relies on a hybrid model. Deterministic workflows handle data gathering to save token costs. AI then synthesises the findings for the analyst. This method drops investigation times from 19 minutes to under five. It avoids the black box of fully autonomous systems.
The market context shows buyers often choose the cheapest MSSP. These providers tune out lower-severity alerts to cut costs. That strategy leaves gaps for attackers to exploit. Jakobsen’s firm invests heavily in DevOps rather than just headcount. They build playbooks that guide Level One analysts from simple tasks to complex investigations.
Business leaders must ask if they want a tool or a replacement. The answer determines whether their SOC survives the next wave of AI-driven attacks. Will your security strategy evolve, or will it become obsolete?
To hear what Jakobsen had to say, listen to the podcast.
Where can I get it?
You can listen to the podcast by clicking on the player below. Alternatively, click on any of the podcast services below and go to the Enterprise Times podcast page.
