Agentic AI
,
Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning
,
Black Hat
NightDragon’s Morgan Kyauk on Proven Use Cases, Budgets and Scale
Michael Novinson (MichaelNovinson) •
August 11, 2026
Morgan Kyauk, managing director, NightDragon
Artificial intelligence security is shifting from experimentation toward production as enterprises deploy more agents and demand clearer evidence of value. The market is crowded with vendors positioning around AI, making customer traction and repeatable use cases increasingly important, said Morgan Kyauk, managing director at NightDragon.
See Also: AI Phishing Now Frighteningly Normal, Hard to Detect
Most organizations are still testing multiple AI and agent security products before committing to broader deployments. “The thing that we want to begin to see is getting these technologies rolled out in production, showing true tangible use cases,” Kyauk said.
That transition will determine which companies can scale. Cybersecurity buyers want proven use cases, reference customers and measurable ROI before expanding contracts, Kyauk said. Investors are looking for the same signals, along with evidence that companies can move from a handful of customers to hundreds or thousands. Repeatability matters, he said.
In this video interview with ISMG at Black Hat USA 2026, Kyauk also discussed:
Why AI security may become embedded across cybersecurity platforms rather than remain a stand-alone category;
How channel expansion, partnerships and international growth distinguish later-stage cybersecurity companies;
Why AI security budgets are increasingly influenced by boards, CEOs and executives outside the CISO organization.
Kyauk leads investments and strategic growth, drawing on extensive experience in mergers and acquisitions, strategic partnerships, and corporate development. Previously, he led corporate development initiatives at FireEye, Dropbox, Juniper Networks and HP, overseeing acquisitions, investments and strategic partnerships.