AI Trends and Cybersecurity Insights from RSAC 2025

The RSA Conference (RSAC) 2025 showcased the growing influence of artificial intelligence (AI) in cybersecurity, with experts highlighting both its potential and challenges. Social media posts and discussions documented throughout the event revealed key trends, including the rise of agentic AI, identity-centric security, and the persistent gap in AI adoption between enterprises and smaller organizations¹. This article synthesizes insights from RSAC 2025, focusing on AI-driven innovations, free tools for security teams, and the implications for modern cybersecurity practices.

AI Dominance in Cybersecurity

AI was a central theme at RSAC 2025, with vendors and researchers demonstrating its applications in phishing detection, automated threat response, and security report generation². One notable development was the emergence of agentic AI, which goes beyond analysis to autonomously act on threats—such as shutting down attacks without human intervention. However, experts cautioned against over-reliance on these systems, warning that unchecked automation could lead to false positives or unintended disruptions³. SentinelOne’s CEO emphasized that while AI enhances workflows, it cannot replace foundational security measures like patching vulnerabilities⁴.

Identity as the New Perimeter

With 80% of breaches linked to compromised credentials, identity security took center stage at RSAC 2025. Palo Alto Networks and SentinelOne highlighted AI-driven behavioral analytics to detect anomalies in user activity⁵. Passwordless authentication and continuous identity verification were recurring topics, reflecting a shift away from traditional perimeter-based defenses. The WWT Blog noted that these advancements are critical for mitigating credential-based attacks, which remain a top vector for adversaries⁶.

Global Collaboration and the Security Poverty Line

A recurring concern at RSAC 2025 was the disparity in AI adoption between large enterprises and smaller organizations. Channel Futures reported that resource constraints prevent many small businesses from leveraging AI tools, widening the “security poverty line”⁷. Governments, including the UAE and EU, advocated for cross-border threat intelligence sharing to address this gap. This theme aligns with RSAC’s official focus on collaboration, encapsulated in the conference motto: “Many Voices. One Community.”

Free AI Tools for Security Teams

Several vendors showcased free-tier AI tools designed to democratize access to advanced security capabilities:

CrowdStrike’s Charlotte AI: Offers basic threat analysis for teams with limited budgets⁸.
ChatGPT (Free Tier): Assists in drafting security reports and analyzing logs.
Zapier’s AI Agents: Automates alerts between SIEMs and communication platforms like Slack.

A full list of tools is available in Zapier’s guide⁹.

Conclusion

RSAC 2025 underscored AI’s dual role as both a defender and a potential attacker, particularly in phishing and automated exploits. While AI tools are transforming workflows, their effectiveness depends on human oversight and robust infrastructure. For security teams, the conference highlighted actionable strategies, from adopting passwordless authentication to leveraging free AI tools for threat detection. As AI continues to evolve, collaboration and equitable access will be critical to closing the security gap.