## Summary:

In the current era of rapid technological advancements like generative AI and hybrid cloud adoption, maintaining operational resilience has become crucial for enterprises, especially in regulated industries. The focus on operational resilience goes beyond traditional disaster recovery practices, necessitating organizations to proactively manage risks to preserve market integrity and uphold customer trust. With the increasing dependence on technology and third-party services, there is a growing need for businesses to prioritize cybersecurity and resiliency strategies across their entire IT infrastructure. IBM emphasizes the significance of a comprehensive approach to operational resilience that encompasses critical business services, data placement strategies, and industry-specific cloud solutions to address evolving regulatory demands and cybersecurity threats.

## Building Resilience in the Era of AI and Hybrid Cloud

Enterprises face escalating challenges as they adapt to evolving technologies and heightened customer expectations each year. Regulatory scrutiny and the need to maintain privacy, cybersecurity, and data integrity pose additional hurdles, particularly for businesses in highly regulated sectors such as finance and healthcare.

Operational resilience is at the core of ensuring stability and safeguarding sensitive data for both organizations and their clients amid disruptions like cyber incidents, technology failures, or natural disasters. Unlike traditional disaster recovery practices, operational resilience presupposes that disruptions are inevitable, underscoring the importance of absorbing and adapting to shocks swiftly.

As hybrid cloud and generative AI gain traction, organizations must extend their cybersecurity and resilience strategies to encompass their entire IT landscape, including multiple cloud platforms and on-premises infrastructure. Prioritizing critical business services and implementing tailored workload and data placement strategies are essential steps businesses must take to fortify their operational resilience.

Regulators worldwide are tightening their scrutiny on operational resilience frameworks, prompting businesses to rethink conventional approaches and embrace more holistic and proactive strategies to combat evolving threats. IBM advocates for an industry-specific cloud approach to support enterprises in enhancing their operational resilience while managing third-party risks effectively.

**FAQs**

**1. Why is operational resilience crucial for enterprises in regulated industries?**
– Maintaining operational resilience is vital for organizations in regulated sectors to comply with evolving regulatory requirements, preserve market integrity, and uphold customer trust amidst increasing cybersecurity threats and disruptions.

**2. How can enterprises enhance their cybersecurity and resilience strategies in the age of AI and hybrid cloud?**
– Enterprises should prioritize critical business services, devise effective workload and data placement strategies, and consider industry-specific cloud solutions to ensure comprehensive cybersecurity and operational resilience across their IT ecosystem.

**3. How is IBM collaborating with industry organizations to address operational resilience challenges?**
– IBM is partnering with industry forums like the IBM Financial Services Cloud Council and organizations like the Cloud Security Alliance to advance hybrid cloud security, Gen AI adoption, and industry-wide approaches to operational resilience challenges.