In this episode of The Somerford Podcast, John Dee is joined by Zion Zatlavi, CBO and Co-Founder of BlinkOps, to explore the growing role of AI and agentic technology in modern security operations. Zion explains how security teams are increasingly overwhelmed by the volume of alerts, the complexity of their technology environments, and the limitations of manual processes. He discusses why the biggest challenge for many organisations is no longer detecting threats, but connecting systems, making sense of security data, and responding effectively with limited resources.

The conversation explores how BlinkOps addresses these challenges through an agentic security operations platform that combines AI capabilities with deterministic workflows to automate repetitive tasks and connect existing security tools. Zion explains the benefits of a flexible, no-code approach that allows organisations to build and customise workflows, supported by more than 30,000 integrations and a transparent “glass box” model that gives users visibility into how processes operate and decisions are made. He also examines how AI agents can enrich security alerts with contextual information, accelerate threat investigations, and automate responses while retaining human oversight for critical actions.

John and Zion also discuss the future of security operations, including the evolving role of SOC analysts, the importance of responsible AI adoption, and the need for effective governance, guardrails, and access controls. Zion highlights why AI should enhance security professionals rather than replace them, enabling teams to focus on more complex and strategic work. The episode closes with his advice for security leaders: invest in people and their development, get the security fundamentals right, and continually challenge existing capabilities to prepare for emerging threats and make the most of new technologies.