A Davos Retrospective: My Discussion Regarding Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity

Stepping foot into Davos for the very first time was akin to entering a realm of unparalleled wonder. While getting the invitation itself had been surreal, actually walking in as a delegate of the Cyber Future Foundation felt like a dream materializing into reality.

I was there to lead a panel regarding the intersection of artificial intelligence and cybersecurity (AI)—a very pertinent topic, as AI already has and continues to reshape the global business landscape. But as helpful and revolutionary as it is—as with every emerging technology—there are concerns about it. You don’t need to be at a conference in the Swiss Alps to know that leaders everywhere are searching for the right balance between innovation and responsible use.

What follows in this blog post is my reflection on my time and contributions at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting, including what I learned and where I believe organizations are—and should be—moving forward regarding artificial intelligence.

The Influence of Davos

Though you may already understand, given the significant media attention it garners, let me clarify a few things about the WEF Annual Meeting—or what’s more commonly known as Davos (as that’s the town in Switzerland where this forum takes place).

Held annually, this convention represents the convergence of thousands of participants, including prominent political leaders, business executives, academics, and other influential figures who discuss pressing global issues, including those regarding:

• Technology
• Geopolitics
• Economics
• The environment
• Social issues

In this one beautiful place in January, leaders from those sectors and various others have a unique opportunity to exchange ideas and share insights with the aim of fostering dialogue and collaboration on global challenges.

Forward Progress vs. Ethical Considerations and AI Risks: A Discussion of Balance

Given the scale of power and influence of such a meeting—one that always has the potential to shape the course of international affairs and drive positive change globally, you can likely understand how I was initially plagued by a sea of questions leading up to such a prestigious and significant event—what should I wear? Were snow boots necessary?

Fortunately, I had the invaluable guidance of one of our esteemed advisory board members, Harry Mosely, to steer me through all my mental apprehension, and soon there I was, nestled amidst the majestic Swiss Alps in Davos and ready to build new relationships and contribute to this massive event.

While I did also have the chance to participate in the World Woman Davos Agenda—a gathering of women leaders from diverse backgrounds to discuss how to dismantle the barriers hindering women's advancement across various industries—my contributions at the WEF were centered on leading that aforementioned panel, which was sponsored by the Cyber Future Foundation.

I had the privilege of leading a discussion that—while it did end up traversing various themes—was centrally focused on how to find the delicate balance between the innovation enabled by artificial intelligence and ethical governance of the same.

As part of those conversations, we delved into the transformative potential of AI in reshaping the cybersecurity landscape—from bolstering threat detection to automating incident response, the breadth of AI's applications and how it’s already revolutionizing industries and addressing global challenges is truly staggering. But at the same time, there was collective, sober recognition among us of the need for responsible stewardship and collaborative efforts to harness AI's transformative power for the greater good.

All this played into the overarching theme at Davos—rebuilding trust in a time of rapid transformation—and resonated with me deeply, particularly as I work in compliance, a field that deals directly with building trust. At Schellman, we’ve been helping organizations hold themselves accountable to rigid standards like SOC, ISO, PCI, FedRAMP, and others for years. Through our assessments and using our expertise, our clients prove to their stakeholders that they’re good stewards of customer information and that their processes are secure.

After my conversations at Davos, it became very clear that the next step in building trust—not just for our clients, but across the entire business landscape—would be to somehow address the concerns around AI.

How to Address AI Concerns Now - ISO 42001 Gap Assessments

While organizations have the option to adopt the new NIST AI Risk Management Framework (RMF) to strengthen the trust in their AI applications, the bigger story lately is the recent publication of ISO 42001—the world’s first AI management system standard.

While the NIST AI RMF is a combination of guidelines and best practices that your organization can voluntarily adopt to better manage the risks associated with your AI systems, ISO 42001—and its holistic approach to AI management and development—is also an enticing option.

As I mentioned earlier, Schellman is well-versed in facilitating various kinds of ISO certifications—we’ve been an accredited Certification Body for years, and right after I returned from Davos, we applied to also become one of the first firms to provide ISO 42001 certifications as well.

Knowing how much AI and its abilities and drawbacks concerned the leaders at Davos, this move into ISO 42001 certification represents exciting new territory for Schellman—it’s a chance for us to help organizations everywhere find that important intersection of their AI and their cybersecurity, and we’re actually already doing that work.

While we wait for our accreditation application to be approved so that we can perform full certification audits, we’re providing ISO 42001 readiness assessments that can be a helpful step in any organization’s journey to becoming ISO 42001 certified.

Though it’s likely everyone interested in this certification is already familiarizing themselves with the standards and making the necessary adjustments and implementations to build out their required artificial intelligence management system (AIMS), a gap assessment—like the one we offer—can be a valuable gauge of your progress in that it’ll reveal what areas still need focus to achieve full compliance.

As you consider your options, it’ll be up to you to decide which direction is right for your organization in addressing AI—as well as whether a readiness assessment is necessary—but as always, our firm is here to help, so please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Looking Forward with Gratitude

As a CEO, I’m always looking to deepen my understanding of our clients' evolving needs and priorities, and my experience at Davos helped immensely as it gave me invaluable insights and allowed me to forge new connections that—as you’ve just read—have already informed and enriched our direction here at the firm.

So, I can say that the WEF event—set amidst nature’s magnificent splendor —really is as advertised. There, I witnessed innovation and inspiration converge to yield empowerment for so many to take back to their corners of the world.

And though I’m now looking forward, I’ll always look back on this transformative experience and be filled with gratitude for that opportunity I had to contribute to conversations that contributed to shaping the future for the better.