There’s been plenty of hand-wringing over the rise of AI agents and the security risks they present. But Box Chief Information Security Officer Heather Ceylan takes a different view in conversation with SC Media correspondent Mandy Logan at Oktane 2025.
Ceylan sees AI agents as a “force multiplier for security teams” when deployed with the right precautions. “We’re putting them to work for us across security in many different ways,” she says.
It starts with data governance. The pace at which data is being created is increasing rapidly, Ceylan explains. But when you have centralized data governance, through a platform such as Box, “you can enable AI with that foundation of data governance, so you can still get the benefits while being secure."
In fact, AI agents can help manage data and define guardrails. “You can write instructions and train the agents to learn how you want to classify content and define the protection mechanisms you need to have in place over that content,” she says. “So when we talk about how AI agents can help with data governance and help with security, that's one example we're enabling across the Box platform.”
Ceylan’s team is also using AI agents to amplify and extend her team’s efforts. The agents help identify, prioritize, and write code for patching vulnerabilities. “AI can actually help and be a co-pilot for individuals and for your workforce,” she says.
Still, Ceylan is constantly evaluating how AI is implemented internally and within Box’s products. “It comes back to those foundational elements of identity and data governance and protection,” she says. “If you’ve gotten those fundamentals right, then you can enable AI more quickly and more securely.”
Watch the video above to learn how Box is using AI agents and identity to stay secure and a step ahead of new threats.
