As we enter 2026, the protection of Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) has shifted from a defensive "moat-building" exercise to a high-stakes race for real-time visibility. This session explores the evolution of the threat landscape, where AI has compressed the attacker’s "breakout time" from days to minutes. We will examine how the convergence of IT and Operational Technology (OT) has created a vast, porous attack surface, now being exploited by AI-enhanced social engineering and automated reconnaissance. The lecture will pivot from traditional perimeter defense to a Continuous Runtime Visibility model, emphasizing that in a world of autonomous threats, "detecting early" is no longer a goal—it is a requirement for survival. Expected Outcome: Attendees leave with a better understanding of emerging threats and what they can do to defend against them. Intended Audience: Security-focused teams across networking and SecOps. Content is appropriate from C-level to practitioner.