Zulfikar Ramzan

I'm passionate about digital safety & artificial intelligence -- having worked in these areas before they became popular (and having spent much of my career at their intersection). My career has been centered around going from theory to practice by bringing innovations to life in the real-world. My AI journey began in academia, where I built "small" language models. At Symantec, I helped create the industry’s first large-scale machine learning-based anti-malware solution (writing key parts of the code), now protecting several hundred million users. At Immunet, I developed technologies leveraging machine learning, including one of the first endpoint detection & response (EDR) solutions, that currently garners $X+ billion in revenue for Cisco (I remember the first customers!). As Elastica's CTO, we harnessed data science & machine learning to enhance cloud security, leading to acquisition by BlueCoat and then Symantec (where the technology was the fastest growing). At RSA, we used machine learning and NLP to improve products like Archer and NetWitness. At Aura, my org rolled out innovations such as Aura Call Protection, Aura Message Protection, Smart Vault, and the Apollo platform for AI workloads. We also launched Aura’s family-centric features, supporting seamless family data sharing and management. I have a knack for transitioning innovative concepts into production. This challenging process, successfully navigated at Symantec, Immunet, Elastica, RSA, and Aura, has been a cornerstone of my career. I’ve managed teams of various sizes, including 500+ people at RSA, covering product, engineering, IT/Infosec, and research/labs. I also love making complex concepts accessible. I’ve authored 50+ papers, many in top-tier peer-reviewed venues, and I hold over 100 patents. My work includes 100+ chalk talk videos on cybersecurity. Separately, I've engaged with media, customers, analysts, and government officials. One career highlight was giving the opening keynote at the RSA Conference, attended by 43,000 people. AI has tremendous potential, and while many understand the theory, few know how to bring these ideas to life in production. I've learned these lessons in the trenches, through hands-on experience, making and correcting mistakes along the way. As a guest faculty member for Khan Academy, I created a popular series on Bitcoin, underscoring my commitment to education and public awareness. My leadership, technical expertise, and ability to communicate effectively drive my mission to advance AI and cybersecurity, creating a safer digital world for all.