

334: From Special Ops to Cyber AI Warfare: Lessons in Grit, Leadership, and AI Cybersecurity from Snehal Antani, Horizon3 CEO
May 5, 2025
Snehal Antani, CEO and Co-founder of Horizon3, shares his inspiring journey from software engineer to cybersecurity leader. He discusses the powerful role of AI in modern cyber warfare and its transformative effects on business strategies. Antani brings to light Horizon3's unique approach to Red Teaming as a service and how AI can dramatically enhance penetration testing. He also predicts a future job landscape shaped by AI, emphasizing the critical importance of specialized skills and the human touch in tech careers.
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Grit and Passion from Father
- Snehal Antani learned grit and passion from his father, who worked multiple jobs while pursuing his master’s degree.
- This quiet example shaped Snehal’s approach to overcoming obstacles and loving his work deeply.
Career as Lego Blocks
- Snehal broke his career skills into "Lego blocks," gaining expertise stepwise before becoming CEO.
- He experienced failures early but learned leadership at IBM, GE Capital, Splunk, and Special Ops before founding Horizon3.
Horizon3 as Data Company
- Horizon3 is fundamentally a data company, using pen tests as sensors to gather proprietary training data.
- This unique data set fuels their AI advantage and allows broad cybersecurity applications beyond pen testing.