Full Report
Infosec pros descend on San Francisco kettle When El Reg cybersecurity editor Jessica Lyons joins infosec industry colleagues in San Francisco for RSAC 2026 this week, she's expecting agentic AI to be on everyone's lips - at least those who aren't busy gossiping about the lack of presence from any representatives of the US federal government.…
Analysis Summary
# Industry News: RSAC 2026: Agentic AI Rises as Federal Presence Fades
## Summary
RSAC 2026 marks a pivotal shift in the cybersecurity landscape, dominated by the rapid transition from passive AI tools to autonomous "agentic AI." However, the event is shadowed by a conspicuous and unprecedented absence of U.S. federal government representatives, signaling a potential rift or strategic pivot in public-private security partnerships.
## Key Details
- **Date:** March 23, 2026
- **Companies Involved:** RSA Conference, Various Cybersecurity Vendors, U.S. Federal Government (absent)
- **Category:** Industry Event / Market Trend Analysis
## The Story
As the cybersecurity industry gathers in San Francisco for RSAC 2026, the narrative is split between a technological leap and a geopolitical mystery. The primary focus on the showroom floor is "Agentic AI"—AI systems capable of making independent decisions and executing complex security workflows without human intervention. This represents the next evolution beyond the generative AI hype of 2024-2025.
Contrasting this technological optimism is the "empty chair" left by the U.S. federal government. Historically a cornerstone of the conference through CISA, FBI, and NSA presence, the lack of federal participation has sparked intense speculation regarding funding cuts, policy shifts, or a breakdown in the collaborative defense model that has defined the last decade.
## Business Impact
### For the Companies Involved
- **RSA Conference:** Faces a potential identity crisis if the event shifts from a holistic "public-private" summit to a purely commercial vendor showcase.
- **AI Vendors:** High pressure to prove that "agentic" capabilities are more than just advanced automation or marketing rebrands.
### For Competitors
- Venture capital and R&D budgets are likely being diverted toward autonomous response capabilities to keep pace with the market leaders in the agentic AI space.
### For Customers
- Potential for increased operational efficiency as AI agents handle Tier 1 and Tier 2 SOC tasks, but also heightened risk regarding "hallucinations" in autonomous decision-making.
### For the Market
- A significant shift in the "Cyber Policy" market; without federal guidance at the industry’s largest event, vendors may begin setting their own standards for AI ethics and deployment.
## Technical Implications
The move to **Agentic AI** implies a shift from LLMs (Large Language Models) used for summarization to LAMs (Large Action Models). These systems require deeper integration into kernel-level processes and cloud environments to execute remediations, raising the stakes for software supply chain security.
## Strategic Analysis
- **Market Positioning:** Vendors are repositioning from "assistants" (copilots) to "agents" (operators) to justify premium subscription pricing.
- **Competitive Advantage:** Early movers who can demonstrate "safe autonomy"—AI that operates within verifiable guardrails—will capture the enterprise market.
- **Challenges:** The lack of federal presence may lead to a fragmented regulatory environment, making compliance more difficult for global firms.
## Industry Reactions
- **Analyst Opinions:** Market watchers are questioning if the federal absence suggests a move toward classified-only industry briefings, leaving the public sector in the dark.
- **Expert Commentary:** Early reports suggest the "Agentic AI" shift is being met with a mix of excitement and "autonomy anxiety" regarding legal liability.
## Future Outlook
- **The "Great Decoupling":** If the federal government continues to distance itself from major industry trade shows, we may see the rise of smaller, government-specific security summits.
- **Autonomous SOC:** Expect the "Human-in-the-loop" requirement to become a "Human-on-the-loop" oversight role by 2027.
## For Security Professionals
Practitioners should prepare for a shift in job descriptions. The "Agentic AI" era requires security pros to move from being "operators" to "AI Orchestrators" and "Policy Auditors." Additionally, the lack of federal presence means teams must rely more heavily on private sector threat intelligence rather than government-shared data in the short term.