How Working in AI for Cybersecurity Inspires Me Every Day

I knew I wanted to be an engineer when I was five years old, living in a remote farming village in Karnataka. My love of math and science was immediate — and after taking a computer science programming class in school, I never looked back.?

My path to Security AI?was less planned. While I discovered my passion for engineering early on, I didn’t know exactly where it would lead me. Coming from a small village, where I grew up studying in a government school in Kannada language as a medium of instruction, to being the only woman in the room early on, to now working on the globally distributed Google Cloud Security team building software that touches millions of people across the world — this has been a journey, and I love where I’ve landed.

AI for cybersecurity brings my skills and experiences together

You don’t always know where your skills will take you. I spent the first ten years of my career working on security products, from antivirus, identity and access management to data loss prevention software. Later, I transitioned from software development to engineering management and built my expertise in a wide range of domains such as storage, virtualization and cloud computing infrastructure, distributed systems, data processing systems and data analytics platforms.?

When I joined Google, I continued following my passion to find interesting projects. After a year on the YouTube shopping team, I moved to Security AI — and it was a dream come true. Building AI solutions in the security space felt like a natural progression, combining my backgrounds in data engineering and cybersecurity. It was an opportunity to bring my skills together and make a positive impact.?

Each step along the way, I had leaders, mentors and allies who gave me challenging opportunities to prove myself and grow. Their encouragement meant the world to me and shaped the course of my career path. Take pride in building your skillset and present yourself with confidence. Raise your hand, volunteer for things and ask for what you deserve. Your path will emerge.

Take pride in building your skillset and present yourself with confidence. Raise your hand, volunteer for things and ask for what you deserve. Your path will emerge.

We use tech to make the world a more secure place?

When deciding which projects to tackle in my career, I look at impact first. How will this help humanity and the greater good? . Cyberattacks can cost organizations millions in financial losses, while damaging customer trust and brand reputation for years to come. Additionally, the growing number of Internet-of-Things (IoT) devices — including smart TVs, refrigerators and smartphones — creates an expanded surface for cyberattacks. There is a critical need for sophisticated security solutions that leverage machine learning and advanced data analytics to safeguard customers’ privacy.?

AI for cybersecurity helps protect the infrastructure of the world. On the security intelligence platform team in Bangalore, we use generative AI to build security solutions, such as Google Threat Intelligence, that help customers combat attacks and cybercrimes. Currently, we’re working on a security AI platform that gives customers visibility into the latest threats, detecting and preventing spread.

Technology can and should be used for good. When I meet customers from around the world who use our products, I’m always inspired by the ways cybersecurity helps and protects their businesses.

We get to help people to do their best work

Security professionals are overburdened with the amount of manual work on their plates — hundreds of human hours’ worth. There’s also a skills gap in the security space, where few professionals have both cybersecurity and AI skills. Though this poses many challenges in the industry, it also presents opportunities.?

Our team is tackling this problem by building AI-assistive security products that reduce manual work and repetitive tasks. Freed up, people can use their skills for strategic work that requires human intelligence. Cybersecurity is being democratized so that people across skill levels can respond to cyberthreats with confidence. I’m proud of our team for helping move the needle in this space — enabling more people to mitigate risk proactively and be even more effective in their roles.?

If you’re interested in security, I recommend learning necessary skills such as prompt engineering and data analysis. Embrace emerging technologies like AI — learn how to use them to your benefit.?

Innovation inspires strong leadership

Innovation is a mindset. It’s thinking about things differently and asking, “Why not?” or “How can we be more helpful to people?” This philosophy guides my approach to building, but it also applies to how I lead my team at Google. I aim to be open, to challenge my team’s ideas and to encourage them to challenge mine.?

Strong leadership brings people together and inspires them to do their best work. A mentor once gave me eye-opening advice: “Make yourself redundant.” Help your team become so self-sufficient that they can thrive without you. Not only do they grow, but you have more time to focus on the big picture. It’s a win-win and has shaped my approach to being a leader.?

Strong leadership brings people together and inspires them to do their best work.

I also strive to lead by example, especially when it comes to continuous learning. I encourage my team members to participate in our industry beyond their day jobs. I do research, publish papers, file patents and participate in tech conferences. I’m passionate about knowledge-sharing, which is part of the culture on our team.?

AI cybersecurity is full of opportunity. Emerging tech is exciting because it levels the playing field, welcoming people with diverse backgrounds and non-linear career journeys. If you’re motivated to make a difference, this could be a wonderful place to start.?

Join us

We are looking for software engineers and researchers to create the next generation of AI breakthroughs and products across Google Cloud. Explore our opportunities here!