In this episode of the TPRM Podcast, Threats, Pitfalls & Risk Myths, Nate Lee sits down with Michael Coates, Founding Partner at Seven Hill Ventures and former CISO of Twitter, Mozilla, and CoinList.

As AI continues to accelerate both attack speed and capability, the gap between attackers and defenders is rapidly shrinking. Michael explains how automated attacks are compressing response times to the point where human driven security models are no longer viable, and why organizations must begin removing humans from critical decision loops.

The conversation explores how security teams need to rethink their operating models in an AI driven world. Nate and Michael discuss the future of the SOC, the rise of automation and agent driven workflows, and why many traditional security practices may soon become obsolete.

They also examine how AI is lowering the barrier to entry for attackers, enabling capabilities that were once limited to nation state actors. This shift is forcing organizations to move faster, experiment more, and rethink how they balance risk, speed, and innovation.

Beyond technology, the discussion dives into how roles inside security teams are evolving, what skills will matter most going forward, and why security leaders must shift from gatekeepers to enablers of business velocity.

This episode is essential listening for CISOs, security leaders, and practitioners navigating AI driven threats, modern security architecture, and the rapidly changing role of cybersecurity.

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Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7JvPsyMJPgVLOKuJhkKfxA?si=c862255fc2b84d12

Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-tprm-podcast/id1848217699

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Episode Sponsor

This episode features a message from TrustMind, a security questionnaire automation platform designed to help teams respond more quickly and consistently to vendor security reviews.

TrustMind uses AI to automatically complete security questionnaires using your existing documentation, policies, and prior responses so security teams can spend less time copying and pasting and more time securing their platforms.

Learn more at https://trustmind.com

About the Guest

Michael Coates is the Founding Partner at Seven Hill Ventures and former CISO of Twitter, Mozilla, and CoinList. He has spent his career building and scaling security programs at some of the most influential technology companies while also advising and investing in the next generation of cybersecurity startups.

Michael brings a unique perspective across operator, founder, and investor roles, with deep expertise in modern security architecture, risk, and the evolving impact of AI on cybersecurity.

About the Host

Nate Lee is a B2B Scaleup CISO and Founder of Cloudsec.ai and TrustMind. He works with SaaS companies to build business aligned security programs that increase developer velocity, strengthen customer trust, and support rapid growth.

About the Show

The TPRM Podcast features real world conversations with security leaders who are reshaping how we think about cybersecurity and risk.

Each episode explores the threats, pitfalls, and risk myths behind modern security programs and what it actually takes to protect organizations operating at scale.

AI Is Breaking Security as We Know It | Michael Coates

The TPRM Podcast

AI Is Breaking Security as We Know It | Michael Coates