By Tech News Desk — Anil Sethi, newly appointed CEO of Iris Global Services, shared his insights on how artificial intelligence (AI) and cybersecurity are reshaping enterprise technology deployment and the future of digital business in an exclusive interview. Sethi — a seasoned technology leader with decades of experience across IBM, Microsoft, TCS and Dell Technologies — outlined both the challenges and opportunities for organisations navigating the evolving digital landscape.
Q: What role do AI and cybersecurity play in today’s enterprise tech strategy?
Anil Sethi:
“In our view, AI and cybersecurity are not isolated functions — they are foundational pillars of digital trust and intelligence across organisations.” He emphasised that as data volumes soar and digital systems become more interconnected, AI’s ability to automate insights must be paired with robust security frameworks to protect business assets and customer trust. Sethi explained that Iris Global is integrating AI‑driven analytics into supply chain operations and partner engagements while also prioritising cyberdefense capabilities that safeguard the data and infrastructure that power those systems.
Q: How should businesses balance innovation with risk in adopting AI?
Sethi stressed that innovation without security is a risk — a sentiment echoed by many cybersecurity experts today. AI can accelerate decision‑making and efficiency, but it also introduces new vulnerabilities if not governed properly. He pointed out that organisations must build cybersecurity into the design of AI systems rather than treat it as an afterthought, ensuring models and their outputs are reliable and secure before wide deployment.
Q: What are the biggest cybersecurity challenges in the AI era?
According to Sethi, one of the central challenges is the rapid pace of sophisticated threats. As AI systems proliferate, attackers are also experimenting with AI‑assisted techniques, meaning defenders must counter with their own advanced detection and response solutions. This aligns with industry leaders’ views that cybersecurity isn’t just defense anymore — it’s a proactive, intelligence‑driven discipline where AI supports threat hunting and anomaly detection across environments.
Q: What advice do you have for organisations starting their AI security journey?
Sethi advises a phased, governance‑centric approach:
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Embed security early: Start managing AI risks at the design and dataset levels rather than waiting until deployment.
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Focus on privacy and compliance: With regulations evolving globally, companies must ensure AI systems meet legal and ethical standards.
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Build human‑in‑the‑loop controls: Even as AI automation increases, human oversight remains essential for accountability.
He reiterated that cybersecurity and AI should reinforce each other — secure AI is better AI, and intelligent systems can in turn make security operations more predictive and responsive.
Q: What’s the vision for Iris Global under your leadership?
Sethi described his vision as transforming Iris from a traditional distributor into a trusted technology catalyst — a partner that helps organisations modernise with AI, datacenter and cybersecurity solutions. “We’re moving beyond logistics to solution intelligence,” he said, emphasising that Iris aims to equip businesses with secure, scalable digital environments that foster innovation and resilience.
Summary
In this interview, Anil Sethi underscores a core theme: AI and cybersecurity are inseparable in the digital age. As enterprises embrace transformative technologies, safeguarding data, infrastructure and trust will be as critical as innovation itself. Sethi’s perspective reflects a growing industry consensus that future‑ready organisations must embed security into every layer of their technology stack while leveraging AI responsibly and strategically