Building continuous cyber resilience in the age of AI and quantum risks

In today’s digital economy, cyber resilience is the backbone of trust, innovation, and growth. As digital ecosystems expand and technologies evolve, organizations are shifting from reactive security to proactive resilience. Increasingly, they recognize that being prepared for sophisticated threats – many powered by AI—is not just prudent, but essential for long-term success.

Meanwhile, the rise of quantum computing promises transformative breakthroughs, but also introduces new risks that could challenge today’s cryptographic standards. The future demands a security posture that is continuous, adaptive, and forward-looking, therefore driving resilience and trust.        

The new cyber reality: AI as both ally and adversary

Artificial intelligence is transforming cybersecurity in two powerful ways:

• As a threat vector: Adversaries are using AI to create sophisticated phishing attacks, automate vulnerability discovery, and develop malware that adapts in real time. These attacks are faster, stealthier, and harder to detect with traditional defenses.
• As a defense multiplier: At the same time, AI enables organizations to spot anomalies faster, automate incident response, and reduce the workload on scarce cyber talent. AI-enhanced SOCs can process massive amounts of telemetry, remove noise and prioritize threats with precision.

The implication is clear: cybersecurity strategies must embed AI deeply, not as an add-on but as a core enabler of continuous protection and vigilance.

Quantum: The next disruptive risk

Quantum computing may still be years away from breaking current encryption – but the time to prepare is now. Algorithms that safeguard today’s digital economy – from banking transactions to healthcare records – could be broken once large-scale quantum computers arrive.

Waiting until that moment is not an option. Forward-looking organizations are already beginning to:

• Assess quantum risk exposure across critical assets
• Adopt quantum-resistant cryptography in pilots and high-risk areas
• Build migration roadmaps to post-quantum security.

The organizations that act early will not only reduce risk but also demonstrate leadership and trust to customers, partners, and regulators.

Continuous resilience: A new operating model

Traditional security models – periodic audits, static controls, and perimeter defenses – are no longer sufficient. Resilience today must be continuous, and build on three foundational pillars:

1. Continuous strategy and GRC: Embedding security and compliance into the fabric of business decisions. From zero trust to proactive risk management, organizations need a governance and compliance model that adapts as regulations and risks evolve.
2. Continuous protection: Safeguarding IT, OT, and cloud environments with layered defenses. Here, AI plays a pivotal role, augmenting human expertise to detect and neutralize threats before they cause damage.
3. Continuous vigilance: Always-on monitoring, threat intelligence, and incident response. Cyber Defense Centers operating 24/7 across the globe ensure that no threat goes unnoticed and no incident goes unmanaged.

Together, these pillars form an end-to-end approach to resilience, ensuring organizations can operate with confidence no matter how the threat landscape shifts.

Why cyber resilience must be continuous

The drivers are clear:

• Speed of threats: AI-driven attacks can unfold in seconds, demanding real-time defenses.
• Complexity of ecosystems: With hybrid cloud, IoT, and OT converging, the attack surface is broader than ever.
• Regulatory pressure: New laws from the EU’s NIS2 to sector-specific mandates require continuous compliance.
• Talent gaps: Automation and AI help augment skilled cyber professionals.

Continuous resilience is not just about technology – it’s about people, processes, and culture. Organizations that embed cyber awareness across their workforce are far better equipped to resist, respond, and recover.

Capgemini’s perspective

At Capgemini, we help clients navigate this shift by:

• Designing trust-by-design strategies that align with regulations and business goals
• Deploying AI-powered protection across IT, OT, and supply chains
• Operating global Cyber Defense Centers that provide 24/7 vigilance and rapid response
• Preparing clients for the quantum era with advisory services and post-quantum cryptography pilots.

Our approach is holistic, industry-specific, and global – ensuring that resilience is not a one-time milestone but an ongoing capability.

Looking ahead: Building future-ready cyber resilience

Cybersecurity Awareness Month is a reminder that in the digital world that we live, security is no longer optional, it is existential. Organizations that embrace continuous resilience won’t just withstand disruption – they’ll gain a competitive edge by building trust across their ecosystems.

The age of AI and quantum risks is not one to fear, but one to prepare for. Because in cybersecurity, resilience is not a project. It is a journey: continuous, adaptive, and future-ready. Explore how Capgemini helps enterprises build continuous cyber resilience: https://www.capgemini.com/services/cybersecurity/