Alice Fakir
Senior Partner and Vice President of Cybersecurity Services, U.S. Federal Market, IBM
Alice Fakir and her team are heavily focused on harnessing the power of agentic AI to revolutionize security operations and develop cutting‑edge post‑quantum cryptography migration methods.
Fakir’s team works on leveraging vendor-agnostic capabilities, including LLMs like Mythos and GPT5.4, which have the potential to significantly enhance the security posture of government systems and improve the efficiency of cyber operations. By pushing the boundaries of agentics and PQC, the team aims to stay ahead of emerging threats and empower the government and the next generation of cybersecurity professionals with the skills and expertise needed to protect against quantum-era threats.
Why Watch
The emergence of advanced agents built using LLMs such as Mythos and GPT5.4, capable of identifying vulnerabilities and crafting sophisticated attack vectors, alongside the looming threat of quantum computing’s potential to decrypt sensitive American assets, represents one of the most critical security challenges of this era, Fakir said. These technologies together could significantly undermine traditional cybersecurity measures, requiring a proactive and robust strategic response to safeguard national security interests.
IBM is aligned with current government priorities by focusing on several key strategies called out in the Trump Administration’s Cyber Strategy for America, including:
Achieving Cyber Dominance through Research Leadership and Technical Innovation. IBM’s investments in quantum computing and agentic AI capabilities place us at the forefront of developing solutions that anticipate and counteract potential security threats. Today’s adversaries exploit zero‑days at unprecedented speed, weaponize AI for phishing and lateral movement, and increasingly target supply chains, making real‑time detection, intelligence‑driven defense, and cloud‑native security essential for mission continuity. The integration of AI agents that autonomously manage and respond to cyber threats is crucial to achieving cyber dominance.
Securing Critical Infrastructure and Developing a Resilient Workforce. By collaborating with standards bodies like NIST to establish robust PQC standards, developing tools and frameworks to integrate PQC into existing infrastructures, and offering workforce training and development programs like IBM’s SkillsBuild (a free education program that helps learners develop in‑demand technology and workplace skills), IBM is helping to equip government IT professionals with the necessary skills to build cyber dominance.
“Being part of IBM today is exhilarating because it offers the unique opportunity to work on pioneering solutions that not only address current challenges but also shape the future of cybersecurity,” Fakir said.
Fun fact: Fakir enjoys traveling for leisure and collects Christmas ornaments from places she visited around the world. She has collected over 200.