Session 3.6d Update: Why Humans Factor in the Age of AI
Tracks
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| Thursday, November 19, 2026 |
| 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM |
| Nicholls Theatre |
Presentation Outline
In cybersecurity we're often told that humans are the weakest link. The statistics back this up - some reporting as high as 95% of all incidents involve human error. This largely comes as security has improved over time, and attackers have shifted to targeting people. Now, as technology accelerates and AI integration is prioritised, a new challenge emerges.
The human element of organisational cybersecurity has typically been an afterthought or deprioritised for most organisations. When considering cybersecurity behaviour, leaders tend to cite phishing awareness campaigns and annual training as key influences on cyber culture. Despite the rapid development of adjacent fields, cybersecurity behavioural interventions have largely remained unchanged in recent years. As we move into an era where AI takes humans further out of the loop, it is time to reassess how we approach human factors in cybersecurity. Significant psychological research now exists that informs our understanding of why people behave as they do. This research has heavily influenced the world of marketing, sales, UX/UI, and even engineering, nudging people towards buying more, driving them into more urgent decisions and delivering safety cues when they are most effective.
In this brief, this research and its applicability to cybersecurity and technological change management will be discussed, with key resources and papers provided. The brief will cover key human limitations, the human risks that plague cybersecurity professionals, and the emerging risks of AI for cyber operators before outlining methods to factor in human behaviour and psychology to effectively mitigate human risk.
Speaker
Dr Reilly Innes
Behaviour & Cognition Specialist
Alpha Echo
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Biography
Dr Reilly Innes has always been driven to understand people. Currently working as a Cognition and Behaviour Specialist at Alpha Echo, a Newcastle-based cybersecurity consultancy, Reilly operates at the intersection of human behaviour and cybersecurity. At Alpha Echo, he partners with government and commercial clients to enhance security culture, design behavioural interventions, and deliver education programs that aim to reduce human cyber risk.
Prior to joining Alpha Echo, Reilly worked as a Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Amsterdam, where he investigated decision-making through joint behavioural and neuroimaging modelling within the Integrative Model-based Cognitive Neuroscience Research Unit. He completed his PhD in Cognitive Psychology at the University of Newcastle in 2021, where his research focused on extending cognitive workload measurement methods to new environments and applied contexts. Prior to completing his PhD, Reilly completed a Bachelor of Psychology (Hons) at UoN between 2013 and 2016. Reilly has published 17 peer-reviewed papers and collaborated on projects spanning decision science, cognitive workload modelling, and cognitive neuroscience. He has been awarded for presentations at national and international conferences.
Prior to joining Alpha Echo, Reilly worked as a Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Amsterdam, where he investigated decision-making through joint behavioural and neuroimaging modelling within the Integrative Model-based Cognitive Neuroscience Research Unit. He completed his PhD in Cognitive Psychology at the University of Newcastle in 2021, where his research focused on extending cognitive workload measurement methods to new environments and applied contexts. Prior to completing his PhD, Reilly completed a Bachelor of Psychology (Hons) at UoN between 2013 and 2016. Reilly has published 17 peer-reviewed papers and collaborated on projects spanning decision science, cognitive workload modelling, and cognitive neuroscience. He has been awarded for presentations at national and international conferences.
