📈 AI Transformation & Data Security Summit 2026 Focuses on PDPA Readiness

The 2nd Data Privacy and Protection Summit 2026 addressed the dual impact of AI as both a major cybersecurity risk and a critical defense tool as Sri Lanka prepares for Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) enforcement. Key insights span national strategy, rising threat metrics, and sector-specific defenses: • National & Regulatory Context • Digital Economy leadership emphasized integrating privacy into digital architecture from top management down to protect public trust. • PDPA compliance mandates moving from treating security as an IT checkbox to an enterprise strategic priority. • Escalating Cyber Threat Landscape • Cybersecurity threats surged in 2025 with 48,185 new CVEs (+20.6% YoY following a 38% rise in 2024). • Mean time to exploit dropped to 10 hours in 2026 (down from 56 days in 2024); average adversary breakout time declined to 29 minutes. • AI usage in state-aligned tactical attack steps reached 80%–90%. • Sector & Enterprise AI Defenses • Autonomous AI Agents (e.g., GuardianAI) reduced alert triage time to 120 seconds vs. the 70-minute industry average, driving a 40% cost saving for 24x7 SOC operations. • Telecoms (Dialog Axiata) emphasized ethical AI frameworks, bias detection, and governance prior to mass deployment. • Apparel & IT supply chain leaders (Brandix Fortude) highlighted automated attack surface mapping to address historical tech debt. • Healthcare & Wearables (VitalProbe) highlighted risks around sensitive personal data collection without adequate safeguards.