Graham Cluley is an award-winning security blogger, author, and one of the most recognisable voices in cybersecurity today. With over three decades of experience protecting global companies from online threats, Graham has become a go-to expert for organisations navigating the evolving digital landscape.
A leading figure among cyber security speakers, Graham’s insight spans everything from malware and hacking to the real-world risks of Artificial Intelligence. His engaging keynote talks—which blend storytelling, humour, and deep technical knowledge—have earned him a reputation as one of the most inspirational leadership speakers in the industry.
In this exclusive conversation with The Champions Speakers Agency, the renowned artificial Intelligence speaker shares how to make cybersecurity accessible for all, why AI is reshaping both defence and attack strategies, and what it takes to truly engage an audience in today’s threat-filled world.
Q: As a cybersecurity expert and public speaker, how do you translate complex technical topics into content that resonates with non-technical audiences?
Graham Cluley: So, it’s important to strip away the jargon. Us nerds—we love all the acronyms, we love all the buzzwords—but it’s like we’re speaking a foreign language to the typical person. So, we have to put these things into language which people will understand and help them understand with relatable analogies—things which they can actually get a proper grip on. I think that’s really important.
And use humour as well. You know, the best way to learn is by telling some funny stories. So many people, when they’re given induction training, just think, “Oh, this is something I’ve just got to sit through and put up with.” It doesn’t have to be like that. It can be fun. It can be something which people are talking about in the weeks following the presentation, saying, “Oh my goodness, that story of how that hack occurred, or what happened to that company because it did X, Y and Zed.” It will stick in people’s brains, and it will help you keep your company protected.
Q: AI is transforming both cyberattacks and defence strategies. In your view, how will artificial intelligence reshape the cybersecurity landscape in the coming years?
Graham Cluley: Artificial intelligence is changing the world. There’s no doubt about that, I’m afraid. However much we may want to stop it—like King Canute sat on the beach in his throne trying to stop the waves coming in—AI is coming, and it’s changing everything. And it’s changing things for the attackers.
It has democratised cyber crime. People—do you remember those old phishing emails you used to get, which were badly worded with spelling mistakes? It’s like, “Oh, it’s obviously not really a prince from Nigeria who’s contacting me.” AI means that the emails, the messages, will look completely faultless. They won’t look like there are any errors in them, and they will be targeted towards you, because the AI will be able to go out onto the net and learn things about you—learn how your bosses communicate with you, use the same language, make it really, really attractive for you to click on a link.
So there’s that side of things. There’s other kinds of cyber attack as well, which will be augmented and powered by artificial intelligence—grown at an enormous rate.
But let’s not be too scary, because the good news is AI can also be used to defend your organisation. So, AI is a tool. It can be used for bad, it can be used for good. And the people defending your organisation—the technologies which can be used—are using AI to better detect anomalies, better detect when strange behaviour is happening on your network, and prevent it and shut it down.
So, you know, it’s swings and roundabouts. There’s a good side to it, there’s a bad side to it, but we can’t deny it’s happening. And I think we’d be wise, if we want to defend ourselves, to really embrace it in the right way.
Q: When you deliver keynotes or training sessions, what do you most hope your audiences walk away with?
Graham Cluley: I hope they’ll think that cybersecurity and hacking aren’t boring. I hope they’ll realise that AI is interesting. I hope they’ll be entertained and amused. But most importantly of all, they’ll be empowered to actually take the knowledge which they’ve gained during the course of the presentation to better defend their company.
To have some stories to share with their colleagues and their peers, which will make them more interesting as well—hopefully. So, it shouldn’t be a snoozefest, it shouldn’t be a snore fest. It should be something with lots of energy, which really, really engages with the audience and makes them think, “Oh my golly, I’ve never thought of that before.”
