FutureCrime Summit Panel Examines AI-Powered Cybercrime and Cyber Resilience

New Delhi: The growing role of artificial intelligence in cybercrime and the urgent need to strengthen digital resilience were key themes at the FutureCrime Summit 2026, where cybersecurity experts discussed the evolving risks facing critical infrastructure.

A panel titled “Defending the Digital Backbone: AI-Powered Cybercrime, Critical Infrastructure, and Cyber Resilience” brought together experts from academia, cyber defence, incident response, forensics and managed security services.

The session featured Dr. Akash Thakar, Assistant Professor at Rashtriya Raksha University; Himanshu Patel, Senior Manager – Cyber Defence, Incident Response and Forensics at Protiviti; Dr. Nishant Sawant, Director, Managed Security Services; and Er. Kritika.

AI Is Reshaping the Cyber Threat Landscape

Panelists examined how artificial intelligence is changing both the scale and speed of cyberattacks. AI-enabled tools can potentially help malicious actors automate tasks such as reconnaissance, identify weaknesses and create increasingly convincing social-engineering campaigns.

The same technology, however, is also becoming an important tool for cybersecurity teams. AI-based systems can analyse large volumes of network activity, identify unusual patterns and help security professionals prioritise potentially serious threats.

Experts stressed that deploying AI alone is not enough. Organizations also need skilled personnel, effective governance frameworks and clearly defined incident-response procedures to ensure that AI-driven security tools are used effectively.

Critical Infrastructure Faces Wider Cyber Risks

The discussion placed particular emphasis on the protection of critical infrastructure. Modern economies depend heavily on interconnected digital systems supporting sectors such as banking, telecommunications, transportation and public services.

A cyber incident affecting one system can potentially create consequences across connected networks. This makes resilience just as important as prevention, particularly for organizations responsible for essential services.

According to the themes discussed at the summit, effective cyber resilience involves rapidly identifying threats, containing compromised systems, maintaining critical operations and restoring services after an incident. Organizations must also preserve digital evidence so that forensic teams can investigate the attack.

Cybersecurity Becomes an Organizational Responsibility

The panel also highlighted the changing role of cybersecurity within organizations. Protecting digital infrastructure is increasingly viewed as a strategic responsibility rather than a function limited to technical teams.

The diverse expertise of the panel reflected this broader approach. Academic research, cyber defence, incident response, digital forensics and managed security services each contribute to building stronger security capabilities.

The discussion underscored a central challenge for organizations: how to benefit from increasingly powerful AI systems while preventing the same technology from creating additional opportunities for cybercriminals.

Resilience Requires More Than Security Technology

Experts stressed that there is no single technology capable of addressing the full range of modern cyber threats. Strong cybersecurity requires a combination of advanced tools, trained professionals, effective governance and preparedness for major incidents.

Organizations also need the ability to continue essential operations when security controls are bypassed and recover quickly after an attack.

As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly embedded in both legitimate digital services and criminal activity, the ability to withstand disruption and recover from cyber incidents is expected to become an increasingly important measure of cybersecurity maturity.