Protecting a Fortune 50 Giant: How FedEx Deploys AI at Scale
On the 20th episode of Enterprise AI Defenders, hosts Evan Reiser and Mike Britton, both executives at Abnormal Security, talk with Gene Sun, Vice President and Chief Information Security Officer at FedEx. FedEx is a multinational courier delivery services company with over $90 billion in annual revenue and more than 500,000 employees globally. With billions of packages delivered every year, using the world's largest cargo fleet, FedEx uses sophisticated technology to provide a unique delivery service to customers across the globe. In this conversation, Gene discusses industry shifts from isolated point solutions to powerful, AI-driven platform strategies, AI as a growing tool for attackers and defenders, and predictions for the future of AI-powered cyber defense.
For a company as vast as FedEx, cybersecurity requires more than just solving individual problems—it demands a comprehensive strategy capable of tackling threats at a global scale. Gene highlights the importance of moving beyond traditional point solutions. While these tools address specific vulnerabilities, they lack the holistic capabilities to defend an international enterprise. Instead, FedEx invests in strategic, AI-powered platforms designed to operate at the company's immense scale. These platforms integrate seamlessly across business units and anticipate and counter emerging threats.
This shift towards platform-centric strategies is driven by a fundamental change in the industry, which Gene describes as a "winner-take-all" dynamic. In the AI era, cybersecurity solutions are increasingly dependent on scale. "In the AI world, scale matters," Gene notes, emphasizing that the platforms capable of harnessing vast datasets will emerge as leaders. These platforms are not just solving today's problems—they're positioning themselves to dominate the future, evolving rapidly by leveraging data to improve their AI models. For security leaders, this means betting on platforms that demonstrate technical prowess and the ambition and ecosystem connections to thrive in a competitive, AI-driven market. Gene advises security teams to carefully evaluate their technology partners to avoid costly missteps. "It's critical to be careful about which platforms you're investing in," he warns, stressing the dangers of aligning with a platform that could become obsolete. Beyond current capabilities, organizations must assess a vendor's long-term vision and commitment to innovation. Picking the right partner could mean the difference between sustained growth and a multi-year detour.
AI's impact on cybersecurity doesn't stop with platform evolution; with today's rapid innovations, it is a double-edged sword. Gene explains the duality of AI as a powerful tool for defenders and a dangerous weapon for attackers. On the offensive side, cybercriminals are leveraging AI to increase the sophistication of their attacks. "Today's phishing emails are all generated by large language models," Gene points out. These emails, with their impeccable grammar and contextually relevant messaging, are far more convincing than the crude attempts of a decade ago. Similarly, AI is being used to create counterfeit FedEx shipping labels, illustrating how advanced technology is lowering the barriers to entry for cybercrime. In response, organizations must adopt equally advanced defenses. Gene is a strong proponent of the "fight fire with fire" approach, where AI is a frontline defender. "It takes AI to fight AI," he explains, recalling the NotPetya attack that penetrated FedEx's European operations in just five minutes. No human response could have matched that speed. With AI, however, companies can detect anomalies early and deploy automated countermeasures in real-time, significantly reducing the impact of such attacks.
While Gene is bullish on AI's potential, he emphasizes that it's only one piece of the puzzle, as he contends effective and comprehensive cybersecurity requires a multi-layered approach. AI tools can enhance defensive velocity and accuracy but must be paired with robust disaster recovery and business continuity plans. "We will rely on AI tools to fight AI," Gene says, "but we have our plan B, C, and D." This redundancy ensures that FedEx remains resilient, even when faced with unforeseen challenges. Gene also highlights the importance of human oversight. AI can handle repetitive tasks and accelerate responses, but it's up to people to design the systems, interpret nuanced threats, and make strategic decisions. This partnership between humans and AI is critical for building an agile and robust cybersecurity strategy.
Looking ahead, Gene predicts that AI will play an increasingly central role in cybersecurity in the future. While some of today's predictions may seem ambitious, he's confident they'll become reality over time. "Every single prediction will probably get operationalized in the next 20 years," he says, drawing a parallel to the internet boom. Just as the dot-com era's boldest forecasts eventually came true, AI will reshape the cybersecurity landscape over the coming decades in ways we can't fully imagine. While the challenges ahead are complex, the opportunities are even more significant. By embracing AI and innovative strategies, companies can turn uncertainty into a catalyst for progress and security.
