45% of Converge Attendees Say Their Boards Lack Cyber or Tech Expertise as AI Speeds Up Attacks

MADISON, S.D., Oct. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Nearly half of financial institution attendees polled at SBS CyberSecurity's inaugural Converge Cyber + AI Conference said their board or executive team doesn't include anyone with a cyber or technology background. In a live poll of attendees from banks, credit unions, and other regulated organizations, 45% reported that gap and another 8% weren't sure.

The finding comes as AI changes the threats boards and executive teams are responsible for overseeing. "Cyber and AI risk eventually lands in front of the board," SBS CyberSecurity President Jon Waldman said. "Having someone at the table who understands the technology makes it easier to ask the right questions."

Over two days in Omaha, Nebraska, Oct. 6–7, nearly 200 attendees heard from speakers ranging from a nationally recognized security awareness expert and a former FDIC cyber fraud section chief to educators, bankers, and SBS practitioners. They learned that AI can now write the phishing email, clone the executive's voice, and run the scam call from start to finish. What it still needs to succeed is a person who acts before they think. Five themes came up again and again:

1. You Can't Patch Human Nature

"You can't patch human nature, but you can train people to recognize when it's being exploited," said Erich Kron, CISO Advisor at KnowBe4. Closing keynote speaker Brian Brushwood, host of the social engineering series Scam Nation, said that recognition comes from practice: "Instinct runs on experience, not hypotheticals."

2. Attendance Is Not Awareness

"Training measures participation. Testing measures behavior," Waldman said, urging leaders to look past completion rates and reward the actions they want to see, like reporting phishing. While 63% of responding attendees said they build accountability into training and testing, only 44% said their organization rewards reporting phishing emails or other social engineering scams today.

3. AI Is Already Inside Your Institution

Vendors are adding AI features to existing products without updating contracts, and in some cases without notifying customers, leaving many institutions with AI tools they never knowingly purchased. Employees are also using AI tools, whether they've been approved or not.

4. Attackers Now Move at Machine Speed

AI agents can handle reconnaissance in a fraction of the time a human would need, and the cost of launching deepfake, voice-cloning, and business email compromise attacks has dropped to nearly zero for criminals.

5. The Talent Pipeline Needs Rethinking

A panel with leaders from Dakota State University, the Graduate School of Banking at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, BankTennessee, and SBS explored how institutions will build cyber and AI expertise as entry-level roles change. "As businesses become more efficient, some of the more entry-level positions are likely going to be more scarce," SBS CyberSecurity CEO Chad Knutson said. "Wisdom comes from experience on top of the knowledge you have."

Converge was designed around the idea that financial institutions can no longer treat cybersecurity and AI as separate conversations. Alongside 22 sessions across governance, technical, and AI tracks, attendees tested their skills in a hands-on Cyber Challenge, where 24 participants competed and every challenge on the board was solved.

Planning for Converge 2027 is underway. Learn more and sign up for updates at converge.sbscyber.com.

About SBS CyberSecurity

Cybersecurity isn't a one-time decision. It's an ongoing business priority, and the stakes keep rising. SBS CyberSecurity helps leaders navigate that challenge with confidence. Founded in 2004, SBS has been a trusted advisor and hands-on partner to thousands of organizations. Through expert services, AI governance, and TRAC, its proprietary GRC platform, SBS delivers not just answers but understanding and protection. Learn more at sbscyber.com.

SOURCE SBS CyberSecurity