Another RSA Conference is done and dusted, and what an incredible week it was! The RSA Conference 2025 in San Francisco was a whirlwind of innovation, inspiration, and conversation. As always, it was a pleasure to get demos of cutting-edge technologies and meet brilliant minds from across the cybersecurity landscape. Our team met with 113 vendors in 3.5 days, making it difficult to choose what to highlight in this post. Here are a few of the key thoughts that our team all agreed were important.
The Rise of Agentic AI
Artificial Intelligence (AI) was a dominant theme at RSAC 2025. From AI-powered threat detection and response to autonomous AI agents, the advancements in AI technology were both impressive and thought-provoking. Companies like Microsoft, Google, and Cisco showcased tools that harness advanced machine learning algorithms to identify and mitigate cyber threats in real-time. The shift from generative AI to fully autonomous “agentic AI” systems was widely discussed, highlighting the potential for these AI agents to operate independently without human intervention. However, this also raises questions about the level of trust enterprise decision-makers will place in AI in the short term.
Securing AI: A Dual Focus
It’s not just about using AI to enhance security teams’ effectiveness; it’s equally important to protect AI systems from threats. This includes incorporating security processes throughout the AI development cycle, ensuring data protection, protecting AI models from attacks, and adhering to compliance and privacy standards. The focus on securing AI technologies is crucial to ensure they serve their intended purpose without posing unforeseen risks.
Economic Headwinds as Cybersecurity Start-Ups’ Tailwinds
Despite a looming recession, there was a surprising sense of optimism among cybersecurity start-ups at RSAC 2025. Executives expressed confidence that now is a great time to build a cybersecurity company, provided the value proposition is strong. Economic downturns often lead to escalations in cyberattacks, making companies more vulnerable to threats. Seasoned cybersecurity founders believe that the current environment presents a unique opportunity to focus on specific customer segments and niche areas of the cybersecurity ecosystem.
The Evolution of Security Solutions
The quality of discussions about the industry, the evolution of security solutions, and new solutions emerging to improve Security Operations Center (SOC) operations were high points of RSAC 2025. The focus on runtime security and the integration of cloud security operations into the SOC environment were significant trends. Vendors are transforming their platforms to cater to the need for real-time threat detection and response, enhancing SOC operations and reducing blind spots and alert fatigue.
Puppies and Baby Goats: Marketing Genius or Ethical Gray Area?
One of the more unusual sights at RSAC 2025 was the presence of puppies and baby goats on the expo floor. While it was clever and attention-grabbing, it also raised ethical questions about the use of animals for marketing purposes. It’s worth considering whether there are more humane ways to create memorable experiences without involving animals, although it would be unfair if we failed to mention the importance of the animal adoption angle at the booth affectionately labelled the “puppy pit” by some members of the team. Do any of us remember the name of the vendor that had the puppy pit? For our team, the answer is a resounding no, which implies that the vendor hit the marketing target (getting people to the booth), but completely missed the marketing bullseye (improving its brand recognition).
The RSAC Experience: More Than Just the Expo Floor
Some of the most meaningful moments at RSAC 2025 happened outside the conference center—on walks, over coffee, or in spontaneous chats in the park. These unfiltered conversations provided opportunities to bond with team members and other attendees, forming new long-term relationships that extend beyond the industry. The conference is not just about the sessions and the expo floor; it’s about the connections and the shared experiences.
Looking Ahead to RSAC 2026
As we look forward to RSAC 2026, it’s essential to keep a few key pointers in mind for engaging with the analyst community. Meetings should be interactive, bidirectional conversations backed by qualitative and quantitative data. It’s also important to have a prepared package of materials to send to analysts immediately after the meeting, including detailed analyst decks, R&D roadmaps, customer wins, and revenue growth guidance. If in doubt about which analyst team you should engage with, use our decision tree to help decide which firms to meet with.
In conclusion, RSAC 2025 was a fantastic opportunity to connect with vendors, understand the latest trends, and gather insights from industry leaders. The focus on AI, the optimism among start-ups, and the meaningful connections made outside the conference center all contributed to a memorable experience. Frost & Sullivan’s Security Team is looking forward to RSAC2026 and the continued evolution cybersecurity solutions as well as the genesis of entirely new solution categories.
