IPBN Masterclass: AI and Cybersecurity – Reading Past the Headlines

IPBN Masterclass: AI and Cybersecurity – Reading Past the Headlines

Friday, 25 September 2026 | 10:00–11:00 | Online

AI is transforming how businesses build, operate, and secure technology. But as the capabilities of AI systems advance, so too does the noise surrounding what they can actually do.

What is genuinely new? What is hype? And what should businesses actually be doing about it?

The Ireland Portugal Business Network hosted on Zoom a practical online Masterclass with Jarred White, a security and privacy leader with two decades of experience across cybersecurity, ethical hacking, and security engineering.

In “AI and Cybersecurity: Reading Past the Headlines,” Jarred examined some of the most recent developments in AI security and separate demonstrated capability from speculation and marketing.

The session explored:

• Why independent verification matters when evaluating claims made by AI labs about offensive security capabilities.
• What recent documented cases of autonomous AI behaviour tell us about the emerging security landscape.
• How real-world data is showing that AI-generated vulnerability reports are becoming increasingly useful — while still falling short when it comes to assessing severity and recommending the right fixes.
• How regulatory frameworks, including NIST guidance and the EU AI Act, are evolving alongside rapidly changing technology.
• What businesses adopting AI-assisted development should consider when putting their own security guardrails in place.

Rather than focusing on the most alarming AI headline of the month, Jarred offered a calibrated, practical approach to assessing AI security risk — particularly for business owners and technical leaders trying to understand what these developments mean for their organisations.

You can listen to the full MASTER CLASS here on the IPBN Spotify channel where you will find all our episodes. The audio recording includes the Q&A follow-up with the audience. 

About Jarred White

Jarred is a veteran security and privacy leader who has worked at the cutting edge of computing and cybersecurity for more than two decades. His career has included ethical hacking, speaking at BSides and RSA events, building security organisations from the ground up, and leading global security and privacy engineering teams for some of the world's most innovative companies.

Having moved from Atlanta to Lisbon in 2022, Jarred now brings his experience and passion for security and privacy leadership to both sides of the Atlantic.