AI is transforming cybersecurity, but realizing its full value requires strategic deployment, robust governance and balanced human oversight. This white paper, Empowering Defenders: AI for Cybersecurity, offers practical guidance for organizations seeking to harness AI in their cybersecurity efforts. Cybersecurity is one of AI's core applications, against a backdrop of a fast-evolving threat landscape. Over the next year, AI will transform cyberthreat detection and risk assessment. Keeping a human in the loop will be essential to responsible AI-powered cybersecurity. AI is reshaping cybersecurity on attack and defence. Organizations should build resilience, secure AI foundations and stay ahead of AI-driven threats. Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping cybersecurity and is the biggest driver of change in the field, according to a new World Economic Forum report. Some 94% of cyber leaders identify AI as a defining force and 77% of organizations already use it in their cyber operations. Cybersecurity must balance the risks of AI alongside its benefits. We outline what the public and private sector are doing to ensure AI is used responsibly. AI is accelerating cyberthreats – so cybersecurity must keep up. Companies must implement security measures that are business-enabling, while delivering outcomes at the speed of AI. Flexible security networks that avoid locking businesses into rigid architectures are vital. The cybersecurity landscape is increasingly complex, with geopolitical tensions, generative AI and conflicting regulations set to challenge leaders in 2025. AI is outpacing resilience, with cybersecurity less accessible to smaller, less-resourced organizations. Proactive and equitable solutions are needed. Artificial Intelligence can be a powerful tool to combat cyber threats — or a dangerous cybersecurity risk. We must harness AI responsibly and securely. Businesses are deploying artificial intelligence (AI) agents across functions from sales and research to content creation and finance. These systems can make decisions and create plans autonomously but they also open organizations to new cybersecurity threats. Whether starting from scratch or working with pre-built tools, organizations must build security, interoperability and visibility into.