The MLSecOps Podcast

Crossroads: AI, Cybersecurity, and How to Prepare for What's Next

Oct 29, 2024

Nicole Nichols, a Distinguished Engineer at Palo Alto Networks, specializes in AI security and bridging complex systems. In this discussion, she recounts her journey from mechanical engineering to AI. Topics include the critical importance of clear AI vocabularies and the intertwined concepts of fairness and safety in AI. Nicole also explores emerging threats like LLM backdoors and emphasizes the need for collaboration and a growth mindset among tech professionals to tackle evolving cybersecurity challenges in an AI-driven landscape.

33:15

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Nicole Nichols

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Quick takeaways

Nicole Nichols emphasizes the need for clearer definitions of AI fairness and safety to ensure effective cybersecurity measures and model design.

Advocating for a growth mindset, Nichols highlights the importance of collaboration between cybersecurity and machine learning experts to tackle evolving AI challenges.

Deep dives

Journey into AI and Cybersecurity

Nicole Nichols shares her diverse background, which began in mechanical engineering before transitioning to oceanography and ultimately pursuing a PhD in electrical engineering. Her early work involved autonomous underwater vehicles, where she developed a passion for interdisciplinary research. As deep learning gained traction, she shifted her focus toward cybersecurity, driven by the evolving challenges presented by machine learning models. Particularly, she became fascinated with adversarial examples and their implications for security, highlighting the unpredictable nature of machine learning behaviors.

Intro

3min

Navigating Fairness and Safety in AI

5min

Navigating AI and Cybersecurity with a Growth Mindset

2min

AI Agents and Cybersecurity Challenges

20min

Navigating the Future of AI and Cybersecurity Security

3min

Send us a text

In this episode of the MLSecOps Podcast, Distinguished Engineer Nicole Nichols from Palo Alto Networks joins host and Machine Learning Scientist Mehrin Kiani to explore critical challenges in AI and cybersecurity. Nicole shares her unique journey from mechanical engineering to AI security, her thoughts on the importance of clear AI vocabularies, and the significance of bridging disciplines in securing complex systems. They dive into the nuanced definitions of AI fairness and safety, examine emerging threats like LLM backdoors, and discuss the rapidly evolving impact of autonomous AI agents on cybersecurity defense. Nicole’s insights offer a fresh perspective on the future of AI-driven security, teamwork, and the growth mindset essential for professionals in this field.

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