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# AI, Quantum Computing and Other Emerging Risks

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By [Michael Khoury](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/author/michael-khoury/?ts=markdown "Posts by Michael Khoury")  
Oct 17, 2025  
7 minutes  
[AI Governance](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/ai-governance/?ts=markdown)  
[AI Security](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/ai-security/?ts=markdown)  
[Cybersecurity](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/cybersecurity-2/?ts=markdown)  
[Partners](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/partners/?ts=markdown)  
[AI](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/tag/ai/?ts=markdown)  
[Quantum](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/tag/quantum/?ts=markdown)  
[thought leadership](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/tag/thought-leadership/?ts=markdown)

## **Preparing Now for Tomorrow**

Cybersecurity has always been about maintaining an edge over adversaries determined to exploit any vulnerability. Now, with breakthroughs in areas, such as agentic AI and quantum computing, innovation is accelerating at an unprecedented rate. These advances create powerful new opportunities for organizations while also introducing risks that are faster-moving, more complex and harder to anticipate. Preparing for tomorrow's threat landscape is more critical than ever.

Advanced technology was once limited to use in research labs, but is now woven into daily workflows, customer interactions and business strategies. AI assistants are boosting productivity and agent-based systems are automating decisions, while low-code and no-code platforms are empowering entire business units to innovate faster. At the same time, our customers are asking how they can [deploy AI with confidence](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/2025/09/securing-the-future-of-ai/), as our partners are seeking ways to embed protection into every solution.

In this dynamic environment, security is no longer just about defense. It's about enabling secure innovation, so organizations can move quickly, collaborate confidently and build trust in a world where tomorrow's risks are already emerging on the horizon.

Business leaders must also be able to see threats before they hit. That foresight (anticipating risks before they surface) is what separates organizations that merely react from those that lead. Executives who cultivate it can guide their teams to move fast without undermining trust and resilience.

The need for that foresight is only becoming more urgent as new risks emerge from new places and as adversaries use innovation to transform how they work.

## When Innovation Turns Risky

Emerging risks demand that leaders look ahead and nowhere is this clearer than with AI. It's not just a tool for defenders. Increasingly, it's a weapon for attackers. Techniques, like prompt injection, can trick AI systems into exposing sensitive data or executing unintended behavior, such as bypassing safeguards or carrying out unauthorized actions. Automated social engineering campaigns, powered by deep learning, can personalize attacks across thousands of targets faster than a human team ever could.

What's even more unsettling is the speed and efficiency of AI-assisted attacks. [According to Unit 42's Global Incident Response Report 2025](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/resources/research/unit-42-incident-response-report), tasks that traditionally took adversaries a week or longer can now be completed in just minutes.

Quantum computing is also reshaping the security equation. It's not quite here yet, but the threat it poses to traditional cryptography is already real. [Organizations must prepare now for post-quantum cryptography](https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/network-security/quantum-security/administration/quantum-security-concepts/the-quantum-computing-threat) or face the risk of having sensitive data intercepted today and decrypted tomorrow when quantum capabilities mature. For customers in highly regulated sectors (from healthcare to finance to government) the stakes are especially high, as maintaining long-term data confidentiality is central to trust.

Low-code and no-code platforms are another emerging risk leaders must track closely. While these tools can provide agility and accelerate innovation, they can also create visibility gaps. APIs and third-party extensions may grant permissions or expose datapaths that were never fully vetted, [widening the attack surface](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/cloud-security/api-security-visibility-prioritization-protection/) in ways security teams may not detect until it's too late.

Meanwhile, the rapid expansion of internet of things (IoT) devices (from smart sensors on factory floors to connected systems in offices and hospitals) is introducing millions of additional endpoints, each one a potential entry point for attackers. Together, these dynamics show how innovation at the edge can quickly translate into new vulnerabilities across the ecosystem.

Incidents like this demonstrate why static defenses often fall short in today's environment. Organizations must evolve their strategies to anticipate risks that emerge well beyond the traditional perimeter.

## From Defense to Foresight

If threats are evolving, then security strategies must do the same. That means shifting from reactive controls to forward-looking frameworks that anticipate where risks are likely to appear.

Static, rule-based defenses are already outmoded. Leaders should be investing in security platforms that learn and adapt in real time, just as attackers are doing. Unlike fragmented point products, platforms provide a unified foundation that helps customers scale and simplify operations, as well as innovate faster across multicloud and hybrid environments. Automation and continuous monitoring, which are [already proving essential in these complex landscapes](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/network-security/automated-multicloud-security-now-available-for-software-firewalls/), are equally critical in preparing for tomorrow's AI and quantum-driven threats. Continuous anomaly detection and [AI-native protection](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/prisma/prisma-ai-runtime-security) aren't optional; they're the foundation for staying ahead of adversaries who innovate as quickly as, and often faster than, legitimate businesses.

What's equally outdated is the perception that security is a cost center or a brake on innovation. The reality is that security enables innovation. With a clear view of risks and the right protections in place, customers can adopt AI responsibly, partners can guide and accelerate large-scale transformations with confidence, and leaders can build trust across their ecosystems. This partner-driven model ensures organizations aren't just keeping up with change, but using security platforms as a catalyst for growth.

As for quantum computing risks, the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has already released [three finalized post-quantum encryption standards](https://www.nist.gov/news-events/news/2024/08/nist-releases-first-3-finalized-post-quantum-encryption-standards). And, as noted earlier, organizations need to plan for migration now. That means treating quantum readiness the same way they treat automation and AI defenses today -- as an ongoing process of preparation, not a one-time fix. The shift will be complex, involving data classification, key management and ecosystem-wide changes. Forward-thinking leaders will begin that [transition to quantum readiness](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/2025/08/securing-the-quantum-age/) early to avoid a rushed, reactive scramble when quantum breakthroughs arrive.

## The Leadership Imperative

The pace of innovation today means that security decisions can't be left solely to technical teams. Executives have to lead from the front, setting a vision where cybersecurity is embedded in every business initiative. Leaders who recognize that protection fuels growth, rather than constrains it, can enable their organizations to move faster, taking bold steps into new markets and technologies.

But vision alone isn't enough. Emerging risks are too complex and interconnected for any one company to manage on its own. The recent Salesforce incident is a reminder that vulnerabilities often surface far beyond the traditional perimeter, like in third-party apps and shared platforms.

That's why collaboration across vendors, partners and customers is so valuable. Partners, especially service providers and integrators, often work closely with customers on a day-to-day basis. When vendors and partners are in sync (i.e., sharing threat intelligence, aligning responses, embedding security from design through deployment) customers benefit directly. They gain faster resolutions, stronger defenses and trusted advisers who can help them prepare for and respond to incidents.

This is [the value exchange](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/2025/08/value-exchange-in-cybersecurity/) in action -- a shared investment between vendors and partners that multiplies the impact for customers. Organizations that embrace this dual responsibility (i.e., visionary leadership inside the business and active collaboration across the ecosystem) will be best positioned to turn security into a lasting competitive advantage.

## Preparing Today to Protect Tomorrow

Emerging risks will wait for no one. Attackers are experimenting with AI just as businesses are, and quantum computing is advancing whether organizations are ready or not. Meanwhile, low-code and no-code tools, as well as IoT devices and APIs continue to proliferate, creating new pathways for potential misconfiguration and misuse.

This moment represents a strategic inflection point for cybersecurity. The intersection of AI, quantum computing and other emerging technologies is dramatically changing the playing field for defenders and adversaries. The question isn't whether new risks will materialize, but how prepared we are to meet them. Steps taken now will shape how securely organizations can innovate in the years ahead.

##### Partners, get an exclusive look at the groundbreaking [PAN-OS 12.1 Orion](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/partners/nextwave-partner-portal/help-me-sell/pan-os/orion.html) release and see firsthand the power of unified security for quantum, AI and cloud, bolstered by new 5th next-generation hardware.

### Key Takeaways

* **AI is transforming both business and threat landscapes.** Organizations are embracing AI assistants, low-code and no-code platforms, including agent-based systems to accelerate productivity and innovation. But the same technologies are giving adversaries new tools and creating fresh attack surfaces that demand new defenses.
* **Quantum computing will challenge existing encryption standards.** Practical quantum attacks are on the horizon, but the risk of "harvest now, decrypt later" is right now. Forward-looking leaders are planning for post-quantum cryptography to avoid costly, reactive scrambles later.
* **Proactive, strategic leadership is essential.** Addressing emerging risks isn't only about technology. It requires executives to build cross-functional teams by collaborating with partners and regulators, as well as fostering a culture where security is viewed as a catalyst for innovation.

*** ** * ** ***

## Related Blogs

### [AI Governance](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/ai-governance/?ts=markdown), [AI Security](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/ai-security/?ts=markdown), [Public Sector](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/public-sector/?ts=markdown)

[#### A Policy Roadmap for Secure AI by Design](https://origin-researchcenter.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/2025/11/policy-roadmap-secure-ai-by-design/)

### [AI Security](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/ai-security/?ts=markdown), [Partners](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/partners/?ts=markdown), [Points of View](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/points-of-view/?ts=markdown)

[#### Partnering with Precision in 2026](https://origin-researchcenter.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/2025/12/partnering-with-precision-in-2026/)

### [AI Security](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/ai-security/?ts=markdown), [Announcement](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/announcement/?ts=markdown), [Event](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/event/?ts=markdown), [Partners](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/partners/?ts=markdown), [Products and Services](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/products-and-services/?ts=markdown)

[#### Securing the Future of AI](https://origin-researchcenter.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/2025/09/securing-the-future-of-ai/)

### [AI Governance](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/ai-governance/?ts=markdown), [AI Security](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/ai-security/?ts=markdown), [Announcement](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/announcement/?ts=markdown), [Government](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/government/?ts=markdown), [Points of View](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/points-of-view/?ts=markdown), [Public Sector](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/public-sector/?ts=markdown)

[#### A Secure Vision for Our AI-Driven Future](https://origin-researchcenter.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/2025/07/secure-vision-ai-driven-future/)

### [AI Governance](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/ai-governance/?ts=markdown), [Cybersecurity](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/cybersecurity-2/?ts=markdown), [Government](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/government/?ts=markdown), [Public Sector](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/public-sector/?ts=markdown)

[#### Improving National Security Through Secure AI](https://origin-researchcenter.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/2025/05/improving-national-security-through-secure-ai/)

### [AI Governance](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/ai-governance/?ts=markdown), [AI Security](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/ai-security/?ts=markdown), [Interview](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/interview/?ts=markdown), [Partners](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/partners/?ts=markdown)

[#### AI-Driven Security by Palo Alto Networks and IBM](https://origin-researchcenter.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/2025/01/ai-driven-security/)

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