AI Forward Future How Companies Can Grow, Defend, and Innovate with Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Introduction: Why I Wrote This Book. Section 1: Grow. Chapter 1: Great Leadership Is Key to AI and AI Itself Can Lead. Chapter 2: Cybersecurity as a Business Enabler. Chapter 3: The Superpower of Big Data and Data Analytics. Section 2: Defend. Chapter 4: Why Cyber and AI Enablement Efforts Fall Behind. Chapter 5: Thorough Cybersecurity. Chapter 6: Vendor Risk Management (VRM). Chapter 7: Frameworks, Policies, Procedures, and Controls. Section 3: Innovate. Chapter 8: Hacker and Tradecraft Intel Culture and Tactics. Chapter 9: The Smartphone Era and the Surveillance State. Chapter 10: Artificial Intelligence (AI). Chapter 11: Fourteen Companies Leading with AI. Chapter 12: Change Management Drives Process Maturity. Chapter 13: Digital Strategy. Chapter 14: Final Conclusion—How to Be Artificial Intelligence (AI) Ready.

Biography

Jeremy A. Swenson is a disruptive-thinking security entrepreneur, futurist/researcher, and seasoned senior management technology risk and digital strategy consultant. His experience spans healthcare, retail, financial services, high technology, and government.

He is a frequent speaker and published writer, and he also does some pro bono consulting in these areas. He holds a certificate in Media Technology Policy from Oxford University’s Media Policy Summer Institute, an MSST (Master of Science in Security Technologies) degree from the University of Minnesota’s Technological Leadership Institute (TLI), an MBA from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, and a BA in political science from the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire. He is an alum of the Federal Reserve Secure Payment Task Force, the Crystal, Robbinsdale, and New Hope Community Police Academy (MN), as well as the Minneapolis FBI Citizens Academy. You can follow him on LinkedIn and Twitter. You can contact him for speaking, media, or consulting engagements via his website here: https://jeremy-swenson.com/

“Jeremy Swenson's AI Forward Future offers a comprehensive exploration of the intersection between artificial intelligence and cloud security. As the Cloud Security Alliance continues to develop frameworks like the AI Controls Matrix to ensure the safe deployment of AI technologies, this book serves as a timely resource. Swenson's analysis of the challenges and opportunities presented by AI integration equips forward-thinking professionals with the knowledge to drive innovation while maintaining robust security postures.”

—Jim Reavis, CEO and Co-founder, Cloud Security Alliance (CSA)

“This book is a strategic guide to AI, Data and Cybersecurity. It effectively connects emerging technologies in artificial intelligence (AI), digital strategy, data analytics, and cybersecurity with real-world needs, making it highly practical for executives, tech leaders and strategists. AI and analytics are explained with clarity, combining technical expertise with an insightful exploration of the human elements—leadership, organizational psychology, and change management—that will define our future. This book offers a comprehensive and valuable guide for navigating digital transformation, all within a streamlined format.”

—Dr. Durgesh Chandel, Founder WeLEAP Aerospace-Global, Software Research Scientist, former MIT postdoc, and AIAA New England Public Policy Chair.

“A well-informed entrepreneur speaking to other entrepreneurs about the promise and risks tied to AI in leading business and innovation. Reading this book is one clear step forward in securing your future.”

—William H. Dutton, Oxford Martin Fellow at the University of Oxford and Director of the Portulans Institute in Washington, DC (a globally recognized leader in digital research), founding Director of the Oxford Internet Institute, the first Professor of Internet Studies at Oxford, and author of The Fifth Estate: The Power Shift of the Digital Age.

“Jeremy Swenson's AI Forward Future is an indispensable roadmap through the convergence of artificial intelligence and cybersecurity. With a keen understanding of these transformative technologies, the author blends technical depth with incisive analysis of the human factors–from leadership to change management–that will shape our future. This book is a must-read for anyone who seeks to harness the power of AI while navigating the complex challenges of modern cybersecurity.”

—David Espindola, Exponential Technologist, Futurist, former Chief Information Officer (CIO), and author of Soulful: You in the Future of Artificial Intelligence.

“I’ve been privileged to be a small part of our nation’s global leadership in technological innovation by coaching small businesses that dream and deliver. However, that leadership has been driven by entrepreneurs following a time-tested template that is now in significant upheaval. This book serves as both a master treatise to understand the relentless dynamics of AI and a roadmap to navigate the changes as they unfold at lightning speed. More importantly, Jeremy Swenson reminds us that AI will drive change with or without us, but will only create a new plateau of success if we lead that change by ensuring humanity remains at the forefront. I love this brilliant work for that central premise alone.”

—CDR Chip Laingen, US Navy (ret.), MPA, Executive Director, Defense Alliance, VP Midwest Region, LSI Business Development, Faculty, University of Minnesota (TLI) Technological Leadership Institute.

“This book profoundly examines AI's transformative role in modern business, offering actionable insights that every industry leader should embrace. It’s a must-read for anyone seeking to harness AI's full potential to drive sustainable growth and innovation.”

—Dr. Anubhav Mishra, Professor at IIT Kanpur, Product Designer, and Tech Consultant for Robotics and Aerospace Innovations.

“Writing with confidence and insight, Jeremy Swenson creates a cogent synthesis of artificial intelligence and cybersecurity, with explorations that establish connections with emerging technologies, from crypto to quantum computing. An especially distinctive feature of AI Forward Future is the myriad instructive examples of best practices and lessons learned, sourced from companies and leaders across diverse industry and societal sectors.”

—Dr. Tariq Samad, Senior Fellow for Research & Advancement, Honeywell/W.R. Sweatt Chair in Technology Management, MOT Faculty, University of Minnesota (TLI) Technological Leadership Institute.

“Jeremy Swenson draws on his years of experience in a creative way to provide the reader vital insights as they navigate the intersection of AI and cybersecurity. In the AI Forward Future, you will learn that the organizations that thrive won't just adopt artificial intelligence—they'll build cultures that grow with it, defend through it, and innovate beyond it.”

—Malcolm Harkins, Chief Security and Trust Officer at HiddenLayer, and author of Managing Risk and Information Security: Protect to Enable.

“Jeremy Swenson brings together a wealth of excellent ideas, approaches, and views to provide a comprehensive vision of a secure future. An excellent career of practitioner-centered thinking, writing, and teaching has shaped his unique and valuable perspective.”

—Karl Mattson, Seasoned CISO, Tech Investor, Business Advisor, and Educator.

“As a business transformation practitioner with over 25 years of experience leading high-impact initiatives at companies in various industries like PepsiCo, Best Buy, CHS, Diageo, Pentair, Combe and Trystar, I had been grappling with how to safely and effectively integrate AI into my consulting practice—until I discovered AI Forward Future. This insightful and pragmatic compendium by Jeremy Swenson offers a clear roadmap for securely incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) into transformational initiatives that drive real business growth. Swenson brings the subject to life with compelling real-world examples that underscore the delicate balance between risk and reward when leveraging AI for strategic advantage. If you're exploring how to harness Artificial Intelligence to elevate your business, AI Forward Future is an essential read.”

—Ron Quintero, Principal, The Sustainable Transformation Expert, a consulting firm guiding organizations through effective transformation strategies and execution for lasting success.