On the 21st episode of Enterprise AI Defenders, hosts Evan Reiser and Mike Britton, both executives at Abnormal Security, talk with Tony Taylor, Chief Information Security Officer at Land O'Lakes. Land O'Lakes is an American member-owned agricultural cooperative. The co-op has 9,000 employees who process and distribute products for about 300,000 agricultural producers. Land O Lakes handles 12 billion pounds of milk annually and is one of the largest producers of butter and cheese in the United States. In this conversation, Tony shares his thoughts on how AI rapidly evolves the cyber threat landscape, the paradox of AI empowering defenders while enabling attackers, and strategies for cyber defense in an AI-driven world.
While Land O'Lakes is best known for its butter and cheese, the company operates far beyond the grocery aisle, as Tony highlights the broader impact of the cooperative. "We touch 50 percent of the harvested acres in the U.S. and feed 100 million animals every day." Beyond dairy, the company drives innovation in agriculture and sustainability, bringing cutting-edge technology to the field. This massive operational scope requires a sophisticated and scalable approach to cybersecurity. Investments in the rapid adoption of cloud technology have revolutionized business operations and introduced new vulnerabilities. Tony highlights these risks: "Before if you made a mistake inside your network, it wasn't on the internet. Now, if you misconfigure something, within seconds, it's exposed, and attackers know it." With platforms like AWS and Azure rolling out new capabilities daily, misconfigurations can quickly become entry points for attackers. Managing this complexity is particularly challenging when infrastructure responsibilities are shared across teams, requiring continuous education and collaboration. At the same time, AI is transforming the threat landscape. Attackers use AI to create highly sophisticated phishing emails, making them almost indistinguishable from legitimate communication. This has lowered the barriers to entry for cybercrime, enabling individuals with minimal expertise to launch attacks. "Anyone sitting in their home can do it now," Tony warns. The result is an exponential increase in attack volume, forcing organizations to rethink their defensive strategies.
In response to these evolving threats, Tony emphasizes the importance of foundational security practices such as proper cloud configurations, strong multi-factor authentication, and security awareness training. Beyond these basic best practices, AI is a powerful ally in combating cyberattacks. By automating routine tasks, AI allows security teams to focus on higher-value activities. "AI can help guide newer team members and suggest the next steps when analyzing events," Tony explains, highlighting its potential to accelerate learning and operational efficiency. At Land O'Lakes, Tony's team combines experienced engineers with recent graduates, creating a dynamic environment for learning and growth. "We typically bring in our younger people into the SOC, recent cyber graduates from different universities that we recruit at. They have an academic background but don't have a real-world one. And we partner those folks up with engineers, teach and mature them," Tony shares. AI enhances this process by providing real-time guidance and automating repetitive tasks, allowing junior team members to contribute effectively while developing their skills. This approach improves efficiency and boosts job satisfaction by enabling team members to focus on more strategic work, such as threat hunting and incident response."
Contrary to fears that AI will displace jobs, Tony sees it as an enabler of workforce transformation. By handling mundane tasks, AI creates opportunities for cybersecurity professionals to engage in more meaningful and impactful work. "The roles in security will change over time," Tony predicts, "but AI won't replace people. It will provide opportunities to do higher-level work." He also anticipates new roles emerging, such as specialists in managing AI-driven analytics and curating trusted datasets. Tony stresses the importance of customization in AI tools, advocating for solutions organizations can tailor to their needs. "Let me tweak that engine myself and modify it for my environment," he says. This flexibility ensures that AI solutions align closely with an organization's risks and priorities, enhancing their effectiveness.
As AI capabilities mature, organizations must balance leveraging innovation and ensuring trust. Tony emphasizes the need for robust privacy protection as generative AI tools become more prevalent, prioritizing the vital role of collaboration with business stakeholders for building trust and ensuring that security practices align with organizational goals. "You need to build relationships upfront," Tony advises. "If you're a CISO with your hands on the keyboard, you're doing the wrong things." These insights offer a glimpse into the future of cybersecurity in an AI-driven world. While attackers quickly exploit new technologies, defenders have an equally powerful opportunity to harness AI for more innovative, faster, and more efficient operations. From automating routine tasks to enhancing workforce development, AI promises to be a transformative force—not a replacement for human expertise but a catalyst for progress. For CISOs and security leaders, the challenge lies in adopting AI thoughtfully and ensuring that tools are effective and aligned with organizational values. As Tony succinctly puts it, "Enjoy what you do. Get competitive." AI is just another tool in the competition—and one we can use to win.