Microsoft security executive calls generative AI a ‘super power’ for the field

In a Monday interview with CNBC's Jim Cramer, Microsoft security executive Vasu Jakkal described how generative AI is essential to its cybersecurity business.
"We have the super power of generative AI, which is helping us defend at machine speed and scale, especially given the cybersecurity talent shortage," she said.

In a Monday interview with CNBC's Jim Cramer, Microsoft security executive Vasu Jakkal said generative artificial intelligence is essential to the company's cybersecurity business.

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"We have the super power of generative AI, which is helping us defend at machine speed and scale, especially given the cybersecurity talent shortage," she said. "We also have to make sure that we leverage AI for real good, because it has this power to elevate the human potential, and it's going to help us solve the most serious of challenges."

Jakkal said there is an "unprecedent threat landscape," with cybercriminals becoming more and more advanced. For example, she said Microsoft is seeing four thousand password attacks per second. She pinpointed two types of cybersecurity threats: espionage related to geopolitics and financial cybercrime. Microsoft can use data to train its AI models to understand these threats, she said.

To Jakkal, collaboration across the cybersecurity ecosystem is also essential to combat cyber criminals. She said Microsoft is partnering with 15,000 companies and organizations, and that 300 security vendors are building on the company's platforms.

"We need deep collaboration and deep partnerships because the bad actors work together," Jakkal said. "No one company can do this without others."

Microsoft's security division has been growing quickly and is now valued at more than $20 billion. The company's stock secured an all-time high on Monday, hitting $378.61 by close.