A technically secure application can still be unsafe for the people using it. CIOs responsible for applications with meaningful user interaction should require a User-Harm Threat Model before launch and whenever interaction functionality materially changes.
Traditional threat modeling breaks in SMEs because it assumes stable architecture, clear ownership, and spare security capacity. AI can reduce the cost of system understanding and first-pass analysis, but it cannot replace ownership, risk judgment, or governance.
As AI systems scale into production, traditional validation practices may fall short. The OWASP AI Testing Guide (AITG) provides a structured framework for testing AI-specific risks, from adversarial threats to infrastructure vulnerabilities. CISOs should review OWASP’s AI Testing Guide to help ensure secure and responsible AI deployment.