Tariq Halwani, Executive Director of Enterprise Solutions at Microsoft UAE, led cybersecurity innovation efforts, showcasing AI-driven solutions at GISEC. As cyber threats grew in scale and complexity, Halawani and his team worked to redefine enterprise security strategies for an evolving digital landscape.
“The UAE has been a hub for technology adoption, embracing the latest advancements in cybersecurity,” Halwani explained. “At GISEC, we showcased how AI transformed cyber defense and reshaped security architectures.”
A key part of this transformation was the integration of AI agents—autonomous systems designed to enhance human capabilities in cybersecurity. These AI-driven solutions facilitated early detection, rapid response, mitigation, and recovery, allowing cybersecurity professionals to focus on complex threats.
“Cyber attackers had started leveraging AI in more sophisticated ways,” Halwani noted. “The only way to counteract this was by integrating AI into defense systems.”
The impact of AI-powered security has been significant. With a global cybersecurity skills gap of four million professionals, AI agents helped bridge the gap, strengthening defenses against evolving digital threats.
“AI agents played a pivotal role in detecting and responding to attacks with speed and precision,” Halawani added. “They enabled rapid recovery and in-depth analysis in a fraction of the usual time.”
As businesses adapted to Web 3.0 and AI-driven applications, security had to be built-in from the ground up. Microsoft reengineered its security ecosystem—including Defender, XDR, and Sentinel—to proactively combat emerging threats.
Halwani’s message to CIOs and CISOs was clear: “It was the right time to rethink cybersecurity architectures and place AI-driven solutions at the core of cyber defense.” By leveraging AI-powered security, enterprises stayed ahead of cyber threats and safeguarded their digital assets.