AI adoption is bringing a mixed bag of enterprise responses. On one hand, some companies are moving fast, eager to accelerate innovation and turn the faucet on new value opportunities.

Databricks’ Omar Khawaja discusses secure AI adoption with theCUBE.

On the other hand, some companies are wary of AI’s compliance, security and cost implications, preferring to take a measured — and often slow — approach to operationalizing AI.

“There are those that are gung ho about AI and they want AI to solve their problems, like the Jamie Dimons of the world,” said Omar Khawaja (pictured), chief information security officer of Databricks Inc. “Then there are those that are like, ‘Are you sure? Do we really want to do that?’ ‘Hold on, slow down’ or ‘No.’ So, that first group I refer to as the gas people and the second group are the brakes people.”

Khawaja spoke with theCUBE’s John Furrier at the Databricks’ Data + AI Summit, during an exclusive broadcast on theCUBE, SiliconANGLE Media’s livestreaming studio. They discussed security’s role as the essential brakes in the AI journey, preventing overreach while enabling steady progress.

The ‘gas and brakes’ metaphor succinctly explains AI adoption risks

Innovation without oversight is like driving a Lamborghini on the Autobahn without brakes, according to Khawaja. The best organizations are aligning both camps to create situational awareness: when to hit the gas, when to slow down and how to define safe zones for experimentation.

“What I see the most successful organizations doing is they figured out how to get the brakes and the gas to work together,” Khawaja said. “More often than not, in every organization, you have both of these people, but very seldom is there alignment between them. It’s almost as if they are both in two separate vehicles.”

At the heart of Databricks’ AI security strategy is a new framework — part blueprint, part playbook. It defines AI across four subsystems and 12 components, mapping 62 risks and 64 corresponding controls. Rather than constantly enforcing all controls, the framework allows teams to apply only what’s needed based on specific use cases. The goal? Avoid “boiling the ocean” and instead, implement targeted governance, according to Khawaja.

“What I share with folks is, what you have to identify is those scenarios and situations where you feel like you’re going to be safe,” he said.

Here’s the complete video interview, part of SiliconANGLE’s and theCUBE’s coverage of the Databricks’ Data + AI Summit:

Photo: SiliconANGLE