130: S4’s “Connect” Theme Explained — Dale Peterson on OT Security’s Hyper-Connected Future

About this episode

Dale Peterson discusses the future of OT security and the impact of AI-driven connectivity in industrial environments.

In this episode of the (CS)²AI Podcast, host Derek Harp is joined once again by Dale Peterson, Founder of the S4 Conference and one of the longest-standing voices in OT cybersecurity. As Dale marks 25 years in the industry, the conversation takes a forward-looking turn toward what he believes is the next major inflection point for industrial security: connectivity driven by AI, data, and business systems. Dale explains why the 2026 S4 Conference theme, Connect , is not just about networking people, but about the explosive growth of connections between OT systems, enterprise platforms, and analytics driven by AI. From MES, ERP, and PLCs to asset inventories and security telemetry, these connections are accelerating faster than most security teams are prepared for—often driven by business value rather than security design. Listeners will hear why manufacturing is emerging as the epicenter of this transformation, how AI is enabling real-time querying across operational systems, and why OT security teams must prepare for a future where their tools become just another data source in larger operational workflows. Dale also shares how this shift will reshape risk, attack surfaces, and…

People in this episode

Host: Derek Harp

Guest: Dale Peterson

Topics covered

• OT security
• AI connectivity
• industrial security
• manufacturing transformation
• real-time querying
• risk management

Keywords

• OT cybersecurity
• connectivity
• AI
• data systems
• manufacturing
• security design
• risk
• attack surfaces

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: S4 Conference

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