E369 - The 2026 Cyber Imperative: Agentic AI, Regulatory Cliffs, and the Rise of Preemptive Defense

As the global cybersecurity market approaches $300 billion, organizations are shifting from reactive measures to a "preemptive" posture to combat the rise of autonomous AI agents and "harvest now, decrypt later" quantum threats. We explore how the "CISO 3.0" must navigate a massive 4.8 million-person talent shortage by adopting cybersecurity mesh architectures and platform consolidation while managing a complex "compliance cliff" that includes the EU AI Act, DORA, and strict new SEC enforcement priorities. This episode analyzes the critical pivot toward identity-centric security and AI governance required to survive an era where machines battle machines and trust is the new perimeter.

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