AI-Autonomous Cyber Operations: The Strategic Inflection Point for Post-Quantum Resilience
Recent reporting suggests that Frontier AI systems are moving from assistive tools to autonomous operators capable of conducting end-to-end offensive cyber operations in hours rather than weeks. By reasoning, planning, and adapting without direct instruction, these systems can discover zero-day vulnerabilities, chain exploits, and compress defenders’ decision cycles beyond the pace of human-led security operations. This shift has immediate implications for national security, cryptographic resilience, and organizational governance, turning post-quantum migration and AI-speed incident response from long-term priorities into urgent continuity requirements. Attendees will leave with a clear-eyed framework for preparing their organizations for the pending convergence of autonomous offense, quantum-vulnerable cryptography, and machine-speed incident response — knowing what to put in motion now, what to harden first, and how to build defenses that operate at the same tempo as the threat.
John Buselli is the Global Offering Manager for IBM Security Research, focused on developing IBM’s Quantum Safe Program. In this role, he oversees customer-facing programs and supports product strategy, regulatory guidance and market development. He is an active participant at industry conferences, panels and industry consortia events.
Since joining IBM Research in 2014, John has focused on quantum safe cryptography, privacy-enhancing technologies, data governance, and securing AI analytic initiatives. His prior career focused on establishing and expanding initial markets for early-stage software firms, including Verity (acquired by HP), KVS (acquired by Symantec), Princeton Softech (acquired by IBM), as well as senior leadership roles at Seer Technologies and Texas Instruments.
Rajeev Sharma is Vanguard’s Chief Security Architect, responsible for setting the strategic direction for security across one of the world’s largest investment firms. His work focuses on securing Vanguard’s future through cloud transformation, AI governance, cyber resilience, Zero Trust architecture, and post-quantum cryptography. With more than 30 years of industry experience and a career at Vanguard spanning over two and a half decades, Rajeev is a trusted advisor to senior executives and an active advocate for advancing security practices across the financial services industry. He holds CISSP and CCSP certifications and earned his B.S. in Information Systems from Drexel University.
Nathan Shetterley is a Principal Director at Accenture and the U.S. Data & AI Innovation Lead for Software and Platforms. He helps enterprises translate emerging AI capabilities into practical products, operating models, and business strategies, combining technical expertise with human-centered design.
His career spans AI and data research at Accenture Technology Labs, global Data+Design leadership at Fjord, and transformation work across technology, utilities, and healthcare. Nathan brings an enterprise adoption perspective to AI and security, focusing on how organizations align technology, governance, and human decision-making as intelligent systems become more capable, embedded and autonomous.
