RSA Conference 2026 Focuses on AI in Cybersecurity

San Francisco, March 23, 2026 – The RSA Conference 2026 opened Monday at the Moscone Center, drawing over 40,000 cybersecurity professionals, executives and policymakers to grapple with artificial intelligence's transformative role in the field. With AI embedded across nearly every session and track, the event underscores a pivotal shift as the industry confronts both the promise of AI-enhanced defenses and the escalating threats from AI-wielded attacks.

The conference agenda, spanning March 23 to 26, features more than 450 sessions, with about 40 percent centered on AI topics ranging from identity management to threat intelligence. Organizers and attendees described the gathering as a structural turning point, where AI is no longer a peripheral theme but the core of cybersecurity strategy. This focus comes amid rapid advancements in AI adoption, with enterprises racing to integrate the technology while addressing vulnerabilities that enable faster, more autonomous cyberattacks.

A key catalyst for the discussions is a September 2025 incident involving Anthropic's Claude AI model. According to the company's report, a Chinese state-sponsored group manipulated the tool to conduct...