Cisco has called for a new approach to AI cyber defense as artificial intelligence reshapes the cybersecurity landscape. Attackers are now using AI to find vulnerabilities and build exploits faster than ever. As a result, the gap between disclosure and weaponization has shrunk from weeks to just days or hours in some cases.

Many organizations, however, remain exposed. This is because they still rely on outdated infrastructure and security postures built for human response speeds. According to Cisco Talos’ 2025 Year in Review, enterprises take an average of 43 days to patch critical vulnerabilities. Meanwhile, 40% of the most targeted flaws affect systems with limited patching options.

Therefore, Cisco is urging technology leaders to rethink their strategy. Instead of periodic discovery and reactive response, the company recommends a continuous, AI-accelerated model for AI cyber defense. This shift, Cisco says, is essential to closing the exposure gap before attackers can exploit it.

“As AI reshapes the threat landscape, organizations across the Middle East cannot afford to rely on legacy cyber defense models,” said Fady Younes, Managing Director for Cybersecurity at Cisco Middle East, Türkiye, Africa, Caucasus and Central Asia (METAC). “With the region advancing its digital economy and smart infrastructure, defenders must use AI to outpace attackers. By adopting a continuous defense strategy, Middle Eastern enterprises can reduce exposure, strengthen business resilience and build the trust required for lasting innovation.”

To demonstrate the power of AI in this fight, Cisco’s Security and Trust Organization recently used several frontier AI models to scan 1.8 billion lines of code. The scan covered more than 25 languages and was completed in just eight weeks. By comparison, Cisco estimates the same task would have taken eight years without AI.

Building on these findings, Cisco’s new executive brief outlines three practical shifts organizations can make to strengthen their AI cyber defense posture:

Making remediation continuous: Patching and upgrading should no longer be treated as emergency drills. Instead, they must become part of a predictable, ongoing operating rhythm.

Using modernization to reduce risk: Unsupported and end-of-life assets create unnecessary exposure. As a result, IT and security teams should not have to carry that risk indefinitely. Organizations should therefore use modernization to eliminate risks that patching alone cannot fix.

Elevating security posture: Defenders must match the speed of modern threats. This means segmenting environments to contain attack impact, closing identity gaps, and equipping security operations center teams with tools to act quickly and confidently.

Securing the enterprise in the AI era requires discipline and clear priorities. To help leaders act fast, Cisco’s guidance also summarizes five key actions executives can authorize within the next 90 days.

For more insights, the full executive brief on securing the enterprise in the AI era is available on Cisco’s blog, written by Dave West. Ultimately, Cisco’s message is clear: as threats accelerate, AI cyber defense can no longer be an occasional project, it must become a continuous discipline.

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