For years, cybersecurity leaders believed that more vulnerability data meant better security. Long lists of CVEs, detailed scan reports and quarterly penetration tests provided a sense of control. But in practice, they have become a source of distraction. In today’s world, attackers employ AI to move faster and smarter than ever. Defenders who rely on manual processes or infrequent audits are left perpetually behind.
As offensive operations scale with AI, defense must respond in kind. The only way to neutralize speed and automation is with intelligent, AI-enabled defense that identifies what attackers actually use, not what might look dangerous on paper.
The Vulnerability Backlog Has Become A Business Liability
Automated scanners and penetration tests generate mountains of findings. Yet countless studies show that only a small fraction, roughly 9% to 10% (subscription required), of known vulnerabilities are ever exploited in the wild. The rest swell remediation queues, consume analysts’ time and divert focus from actual risk.
Attackers focus on what works, not what is theoretically possible, so the mindset of volume over value leaves organizations vulnerable, with long backlogs creating the perception of security.
AI Has Changed What Attackers Can Accomplish
Modern cyberattacks no longer require weeks of human effort. Campaigns that once required expert coordination are now being executed at machine speed. In fact, Anthropic recently reported stopping an AI attack that automated 80% to 90% of the attack chain, planning exploit-chaining paths and executing real-time lateral movement at a speed and efficiency far surpassing those of human operators.
AI enhances every malicious stage:
• Social engineering looks human and personal.
• Deepfake audio and video convincingly impersonate executives.
• Exploit chains unfold in seconds, not days.
• Lateral movement identifies hidden pathways behind the firewall.
One widely reported incident involved a finance worker deceived by a deepfake CFO into transferring $25 million. These attacks are not future speculation. They are happening now.
Defenses must match the attack’s speed—or they are just a delay instead of a defense. And if security continues to rely on episodic testing and slow triage, it will always be several moves behind.
Exploitability First Is Not Just Smart—It Is Necessary
To counter AI-enabled offense, defenders must automate their decision-making as well. This does not remove humans from the loop. It allows security teams to focus on where they make the greatest impact. Studies repeatedly show that only a few percent of vulnerability scores and theoretical CVEs are truly exploitable and represent immediate risk.
Which Of These Can An Attacker Realistically Exploit Today?
When teams adopt an exploitability-first model:
• Low-risk findings are deprioritized, actionable risks jump to the top.
• Remediation resources focus on where they matter most.
• Executive reporting becomes evidence-based instead of theoretical.
• Security teams regain time, clarity and purpose.
Organizations that shift to this model often report a 70% to 90% reduction in vulnerability noise (subscription required). That is not marketing fluff. It is operational efficiency and stronger protection.
Defense Must Match Offense With AI
AI-driven offense requires AI-driven defense. Automation should not replace humans. It should empower them. The right tools automatically discover exposed attack paths, validate exploitability and prioritize fixes. The process becomes continuous rather than episodic.
Security must evolve to:
• Detect exposure immediately after changes or deployments.
• Validate real-world exploit paths.
• Provide clear, actionable evidence for remediation.
• Reassess continuously as the environment changes.
Only this cadence can keep pace with attackers who never rest.
Why Responsible AI Matters
Just as companies embrace AI to drive innovation, they must also deploy defensive AI responsibly. The goal is not surveillance or overreach; rather, it is to protect digital assets, intellectual property and the people who depend on them.
By focusing on exploitability rather than volume and pairing defense with AI as attackers do, organizations can reduce their attack surface, streamline remediation and restore clarity in a world overwhelmed by noise.
The future of cybersecurity rests not on finding every flaw but on preventing every exploit.