Cisco is growing its expertise in artificial intelligence (AI) cybersecurity, expertise it gained from the startup it acquired, Robust Intelligence.
Cisco announced on Monday that it is in the final stages of acquiring Robust Intelligence, a startup that is working on data security in addition to AI security. The combination of these two focuses will provide a platform to protect AI models and associated training data. The product will be integrated into the Cisco Security Cloud, giving companies an added layer of security when building AI applications.
According to Tom Gillis, senior vice president and general manager of Cisco's Security division, there are three reasons for the acquisition of Robust Intelligence: network specialists can improve security, accelerate innovation, and improve user convenience. “Robust Intelligence's technology integrated into the Cisco Security Cloud will strengthen our ability to protect AI applications and models from a range of threats, including mitigating risks such as prompt injection, data poisoning, jailbreaking, and unintended model outcomes,” Gillis said of the benefits of the acquisition in terms of enhanced security.
Trade-off investment
Cisco's acquisition of Robust Intelligence comes at an interesting time: After all, businesses are eager to invest in AI but are concerned that security isn't yet in place. To deal with this safely, significant hardening is required, primarily due to growing concerns about data theft and the use of AI by cybercriminals.
Therefore, additional investments are needed to give companies the confidence they need, primarily to accelerate AI development in the cloud. For Cisco, it's crucial to focus on the investments the market needs, which could turn the tide and boost the company's revenues again.
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