Kristen Smith 
- Booz Allen warns cyber policy is lagging behind AI-driven threats
- Booz Allen calls for faster authorities and acquisition reforms
- Report highlights growing need for AI-enabled cyber defense at scale
Booz Allen Hamilton has urged policymakers to modernize U.S. cyber policy frameworks to keep pace with rapidly evolving artificial intelligence-driven cyberthreats, arguing that adversaries are already operating at “AI speed” while government defenses and authorities remain constrained by slower decision-making processes.
In a new position paper published Wednesday, Brad Medairy, president of Booz Allen’s national cyber business, outlined four policy reforms the company believes are necessary to help the United States maintain cyber advantage as AI increasingly compresses the timeline for cyber operations.
Artificial Intelligence, zero trust and evolving policies shaping federal cybersecurity strategy are among the key topics that will be discussed at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2026 Cyber Summit on May 21. Register now.
Why Does Booz Allen See an “AI-Speed” Cyber Gap?
According to Medairy, artificial intelligence is transforming cyber operations by reducing the time needed to conduct attacks from weeks to minutes — and potentially seconds as autonomous capabilities mature.
He noted that current legal, acquisition and operational frameworks were largely built around human-paced cyber operations and are not designed for machine-speed environments.
“In an AI-speed environment, time is no longer a buffer, it is the vulnerability,” Medairy wrote in the paper.
In a LinkedIn post discussing the report, Medairy said AI-driven threats are exposing limitations in legacy policy structures and increasing the likelihood that initial network compromise becomes unavoidable.
What Policy Changes Does Booz Allen Recommend?
The paper outlines four primary policy recommendations:
- Expanding government integration with private industry to scale AI-enabled cyber capabilities
- Clarifying authorities and accountability standards for time-sensitive cyber operations
- Accelerating AI-enabled defensive operations and zero trust adoption
- Modernizing cyber acquisition practices to support rapid capability deployment
Booz Allen specifically called for broader use of nontraditional acquisition mechanisms such as other transaction authority agreements and increased reliance on outcome-based contracting to accelerate cybersecurity innovation.
The company also emphasized the need to secure AI systems used in mission-critical operations, arguing that AI models and autonomous agents create new attack surfaces requiring zero trust protections and rigorous testing.
How Does the Paper Align With Trump Administration Cyber Priorities?
The recommendations align with several themes outlined in the Trump administration’s cyber strategy, which emphasized offensive cyber operations, modernization of federal networks and expanded use of AI-enabled cybersecurity technologies.
The White House strategy called for the government to “act swiftly, deliberately, and proactively to disable cyber threats” through coordinated defensive and offensive cyber operations. It also prioritized zero trust implementation, AI security and protection of critical infrastructure.
What Role Does Industry Play?
Medairy said the commercial technology sector represents the United States’ primary asymmetric advantage in cyberspace because industry is advancing AI-enabled cyber capabilities faster than traditional government procurement and development timelines.
He noted that “capability without scale is insufficient—and scale without industry is unattainable.”
