What happens when the web browser stops being a passive window to information and starts acting like an intelligent coworker, and why does that suddenly make security everyone's problem?
I sit down with Michael Shieh from Mammoth Cyber to unpack a shift that is quietly redefining how work gets done.
AI browsers are moving quickly from consumer curiosity to enterprise reality, embedding agentic AI directly in the place where most work already happens: the browser. Search, research, comparison, analysis, and decision support are no longer separate steps. They are becoming one continuous workflow.
In this conversation, we discuss why consumer adoption has surged while enterprise teams remain hesitant. Many employees already rely on AI-powered browsing at home because it removes ads, personalizes results, and saves time.
Within organizations, however, the same tools raise difficult questions about data exposure, credential security, and indirect prompt injection. Once an AI agent starts reading untrusted external content, the browser itself becomes a new attack surface.
Michael explains why this risk is often misunderstood and why the real danger is not internal documents, but external websites designed to manipulate AI behavior.
We dig into how Mammoth Cyber approaches this challenge differently, starting with a secure-first architecture that isolates trusted internal data from untrusted external sources. Every AI action, from memory to model connections to data access, is monitored and governed by policy. It is a practical response to a problem many security teams know is coming but feel unprepared to manage.
We also explore how AI browsers change day-to-day work. A task like competitive analysis, which once took days of manual research and document comparison, can now be completed in minutes when an AI browser securely connects internal knowledge with external intelligence. That productivity gain is real, but only if enterprises trust the environment it runs in.
We touch on Zero Trust principles, including work influenced by Chase Cunningham, and why 2026 looks like a tipping point for enterprise AI browsing. The technology is maturing, security controls are catching up, and businesses are starting to accept that blocking AI outright is no longer realistic.
If you are curious to see how this works in practice, Mammoth Cyber offers a free Enterprise AI Browser that lets you experience what secure AI-powered browsing actually looks like, without putting your organization at risk. I have included the link so you can explore it yourself and decide whether this is where work is heading next.
As AI browsers become the new workflow hub for knowledge workers everywhere, is your organization ready to secure the browser before it becomes your most exposed endpoint? What would adopting one safely change about how your teams work?
If you want to see what an enterprise-grade AI browser looks like when security is built in from day one, Mammoth Cyber is offering free access to its Enterprise AI Browser.
It gives you a hands-on way to experience how agentic AI can automate real work inside the browser while keeping internal data isolated from untrusted external sources. You can explore it yourself and decide whether this is how your organization should be approaching AI-powered browsing in 2026.
Useful Links
Learn more about the Mammoth Enterprise Browser and try it for free
Thanks to our sponsors, Alcor, for supporting the show.
[00:00:04] - [Speaker 0]
So during the holidays, I had a very quick catch up with a previous guest about a topic coming up more and more in boardrooms and security teams right now. So Michael from Mammoth Cyber will be joining me once again, and we're gonna talk about the rise of AI browsers. What does this shift mean for enterprise security? Because Michael is deeply embedded in this space through his work that focuses on helping organizations safely adopt AI powered browsing without opening the door to new risks. So today, we will unpack why AI browsers are quickly becoming the new workflow hub, why enterprise adoption is lagging behind the consumer use.
[00:00:46] - [Speaker 0]
I think most of us are using this kind of technology at home, and very often, you would go into the workplace. It feels like taking a step back in time. But all this is changing, and 2026 is already shaping up to be somewhat of a turning point as a security first approach to AI web browsing is beginning to catch up with the innovation. So if you're interested in AI web browsing in the workplace but have a lot of security concerns, hopefully, we'll tackle some of those today. Before introducing today's guests, I just wanna give a big thank you to my friends at Denodo who are helping enterprises make sense of the data world.
[00:01:26] - [Speaker 0]
For example, are you overwhelmed by data chaos? Because between AI hype and lake house sprawl and siloed systems, it can feel impossible to keep up. But Denodo is helping you cut through that noise. They unify your data across clouds, apps, and sources so you can power trustworthy AI. So if you're finally ready to make sense of the data world, visit denodo.com today.
[00:01:54] - [Speaker 0]
But enough from me. Let's get Michael back onto the podcast now. So a massive warm welcome back to the podcast. For anyone that missed our last conversation, can you tell everyone listening a little about who you are and what you do?
[00:02:09] - [Speaker 1]
Hi. My name is Michael Sheikh. I'm the founder and CEO of Mavencyber, and we developed the enterprise AI browser.
[00:02:17] - [Speaker 0]
And that's one of the reasons I was excited to get you back on the podcast, because at the very beginning of a new year, something magical happens. We hit the ground running, want to talk about doing things differently, working differently, and looking at new opportunities to improve how we work. And AI web browser is something that started to catch on towards the end of last year. But just to set the scene, what is an AI web browser, and how is it different from a traditional browser that people use, which could be, I don't know, Safari, Firefox, Google Chrome. What's the difference there?
[00:02:50] - [Speaker 1]
Hi, Neil. The AI browser is really agentic AI integrate into the browser. So it's really part of the user workflow. Whenever work user work on a different application, AI is always there at the assistant, and that can help the user convert from traditional just browsing into really work of automation.
[00:03:13] - [Speaker 0]
And it's interesting that we talk about this now because one of the things that I've noticed over the last twelve months is how my own search preferences have changed. If I'm on holiday somewhere, if I land on a business trip in a strange place, I'd no longer go to Google and say, what's the best way of getting from the airport to my hotel? I will typically use an an AI agent of sorts or an AI browser or ChatGPT. There's so many different options there, but I don't get sponsored ads. It'll tell me exactly what to do and where to go.
[00:03:45] - [Speaker 0]
I'm curious. Are you seeing a big shift in adoption there? Because I even joined the holiday season looking for GIFs. AI will give me personalized GIF recommendations other than, unlike a Google search, for example. But how are you seeing adoption of AI web browsers both in the workplace and in in your family's personal lives?
[00:04:06] - [Speaker 0]
Are you seeing a big shift here?
[00:04:08] - [Speaker 1]
Yes. I do see that big shift there. On the consumer space, know, we see a lot of people start using AI, especially, like, in Google search. The AI more is integrate into there. So this really transform people.
[00:04:21] - [Speaker 1]
Traditional is really looking up the web static information and try to summarize and congest the information to become more automated that AI can really summarize and analyze the result to show to the user right away. But we see the enterprise, the business side adoption is still lagging. I think part of reason is really for the security.
[00:04:45] - [Speaker 0]
Yeah. And it's interesting you say that the the business side is lagging, but we've kind of been here before with BYOD, shadow IT. We we've seen these these trend, and it only ever ends one way because if we use something in our personal lives all the time, people are gonna use that in the office no matter what. So what what are the biggest security concerns of business leaders when it comes to AI web browsers?
[00:05:09] - [Speaker 1]
Yes. I think the biggest security risk for AI browser is the indirect prompt injection. Because the browser may reorder different website on the Internet. Some of website could be craft for the AI attack, which can really alter what AI memory and be able to be able to redirect AI to do something that they shouldn't do. And that's really a big big risk that still cannot resolve today.
[00:05:38] - [Speaker 0]
Yeah. I'm hearing that. One of the big buzzwords I hear a lot at the moment is MCP. That's the big one. And and Agenetic AI and AI web browsers, etcetera.
[00:05:47] - [Speaker 0]
And one of the big concerns is is just opening up as these agents are all talking to each other, opening up vulnerabilities. How do you put your customers at ease, and and what do you do differently at Mammoth?
[00:06:00] - [Speaker 1]
Yeah. When we develop our solution, actually evaluate, you know, what the malicious activity can do for the AI browser. So this could be data collection or credential exposure. Or, you know, the hacker may be able to you know, doing some AI action against the company policy. All that actually should be monitor and control.
[00:06:25] - [Speaker 1]
So we start building with this, you know, secure first architecture that pretty much built in the security in every step in the AI action. This include, let's say, connect to the AI model with the monitor and control the AI memory, with the what's the application the AI model can read, and what's the data they can consume. All that have a building security mechanism building to really secure the AI browser.
[00:06:54] - [Speaker 0]
And I know a lot of businesses that I've spoken with, they're more open to using an AI web browser for things internally, but externally and using agents that will go on and off the network to get information, etcetera. There's a certain amount of cautiousness there. For for your customers at Mammoth, are they able to use AI for both internal and external activities, and and how are they using that? And any success stories or or how those businesses are using it? Anything you can share around that?
[00:07:26] - [Speaker 1]
Yes. You know, you are yes. Absolutely right. You know, Fang, on the internal application, it's more as a trust data that people trust information. You know, the very rare attack will come off our internal data.
[00:07:41] - [Speaker 1]
But when the AI process access external data, especially, you know, the random website on the Internet, there's always a big risk that the AI could be attacked. So on our security design, we actually separate the trust versus untrust source and be able to define different policy on that. And this is really be able to start building the sandbox between the dataset and using the our technology to really isolate and secure the AI from different data source.
[00:08:15] - [Speaker 0]
And if we was to go directly into an organization, maybe they're one of your customers, how is an AI web browser impacting the the workflow inside an organization? Any examples or stories you can tell me there? Because there's a big focus right now on the ROI of tech and what improvements is it doing, how is it making things better. Any examples you can share on how it's transforming a a workflow, for example?
[00:08:43] - [Speaker 1]
Yeah. Think about this. You know, a traditional way, we want to write the analysis about our own product versus the, you know, competitors. Usually, the person needs to go on to the Internet, search all the competitor, find the information, and be able to compare the internal document to be able to write a computer analysis. But with the AI, you know, be able to consume internal multiple document together and also go out Internet automatically to find out a competitor, you know, this really save the time from, let's say, you know, two, three days job into a few minutes.
[00:09:19] - [Speaker 1]
And that's really part of AI that, you know, the AI be able to consume some of our data is really powerful to help the, you know, employee to really do their job. And this is in a really solving the, you know, text automation or it provide a personalized assistant. And all that is really found to integrate AI into the browser, into their daily workflow.
[00:09:43] - [Speaker 0]
And, obviously, here we are at the beginning of 2026. What what excites you at the opportunities for this year? Not just for AI web browsers, but for yourself and everything that you're working on. It feels like it's gonna be a big year for you.
[00:09:58] - [Speaker 1]
Yes. We do see, you know, the 2026 is really the year that people will adapt more AI browser from the traditional way. And this is really we see the big shift, you know. You know, browser has, you know, come out, you know, for, you know, twenty, thirty years. We always using the same way to look at information to really have our daily life.
[00:10:20] - [Speaker 1]
But with AI, it's really a a game changer. You know? It's traditional browsing, you know, takes so much time for research different topic. Right now, AI actually can gather the information for you. So you are really saving all the research time and build to drive the decision on the spot.
[00:10:37] - [Speaker 1]
And I think that's the beauty of AI browser. And we see the adoption of it in '26. 2026 will really increase just because of the technology is more mature, and the security mechanism is more impressed to protect that.
[00:10:53] - [Speaker 0]
And there are so many different AI web browsers out there. For people listening, hearing about Mammoth for the first time, that Mammoth Cyber Enterprise AI browser, it is built to do so much more than just enabling access. It's actually designed to secure how enterprises interact with their applications and LLMs. And at a time where most business applications are inside the web browser and they're interacting with LLMs, how would you describe what you do at Mammoth, and what make what sets you apart from everything else out there?
[00:11:27] - [Speaker 1]
Yeah. Our key differentiation is the security. I think, you know, we recognize the power of the AI browser for the user productivity, but a key thing that is very hard to solve is the really security. How do you secure user using a browser free of to mitigate all the different attack? And with with our in the secure first framework, we can really, you know, gating and prevent the attack on a different stage.
[00:11:57] - [Speaker 1]
We deal with this four layer protection that we can, you know, found the the AI model into the connection to the Internet. All that is fully controlled by the policy. This mechanism can really help organization to really secure their air browser and at the same time also boost the user productivity.
[00:12:21] - [Speaker 0]
And since our last conversation, I was looking at your LinkedIn page. I've been following that, and a familiar face popped up on there because you're not just talking about trust. You're talking about zero trust security. And when I think zero trust security, the first person that comes to mind is the one and only doctor zero trust. Yeah.
[00:12:40] - [Speaker 0]
I'm talking about Chase Cunningham. So do you do a a lot of work with Chase?
[00:12:45] - [Speaker 1]
Or Oh, yeah. Chase is a good friend. You know, he is very knowledgeable about the zero trust. And I think, you know, he probably saw see his the paper talking about Zero Trust with the AI browser. I I think that's brilliant.
[00:12:59] - [Speaker 1]
It really address the weakness of AI browser and talk about what's the mechanism that can really secure that.
[00:13:06] - [Speaker 0]
Yeah. He's I I would call him a friend of the show. He's been on here three or four times. And I just wanna give a big thank you to my sponsor who is supporting every show, every episode across the Tech Talks network this month because their backing helps me bring you conversations with leaders from every corner of the tech world day after day. And this month, I'm proud to be partnering with Alcor.
[00:13:31] - [Speaker 0]
And anyone who's tried to scale an engineering team across borders, they will know firsthand how messy it can get because they deal with endless providers, then there's confusing rules to deal with in each and every region and fees that always seem to surface at the last minute. Now, Elcore, they solve that by acting as a partner rather than just an intermediary. And they focus on tech teams that expand in Eastern Europe and Latin America, and they bring employer of record services together with recruiting. So, essentially, they help you pick the right country, source the right engineers, and assess them properly, and then get them active for you and your company within days. And one of the things that stands out for me is the financial transparency.
[00:14:18] - [Speaker 0]
Around 85% of what you pay goes directly to your engineers. Their fee goes down as your team grows, and if you ever wanted to bring your team in house, you do so with no exit costs. That kind of clarity is why Silicon Valley startups, including several unicorns, have chosen Alcor, and you can find out more by simply going to alcor.com/podcast or follow the link in the show notes below. As for yourself here, looking toward to the future, what excites you right now? What are looking forward to this year?
[00:14:52] - [Speaker 0]
And is there anything that keeps you up at night? Anything you're working hard on?
[00:14:57] - [Speaker 1]
Yes. We do see, you know, the AI actually gonna rise more into the people's daily daily life in 2026. And, you know, with the browser is really the center mechanism that user interact with, you know, with the outside information. I think the security is really something that people would pay attention and address that. We're lacking in the leading space, you know, to really solve this problem.
[00:15:27] - [Speaker 1]
And but that's also something Kimi and I Kimi away and I for those different security issue gonna come out.
[00:15:37] - [Speaker 0]
And for anyone listening, just wanting to dig a little bit deeper on anything we talked about today. Any way in particular where they can keep up to speed with all things enterprise AI browsing and zero trust security and and some of the big announcements that you've probably got coming out throughout the year? And anyway, in particular, you'd like to point everyone?
[00:15:56] - [Speaker 1]
Yes. We update our LinkedIn page, you know, every week, and it's do they show all the potential attack on the AI browser and way to mitigate that? So please follow us, you know, MemoCyber on LinkedIn and our website.
[00:16:10] - [Speaker 0]
I will add links to everything you mentioned there. And one thing I was gonna highlight actually is on your LinkedIn page, which I do follow now. You do a a weekly data breach signal, don't you? Which you're following your LinkedIn page, that's gotta be worthwhile on its own just to get that regular update.
[00:16:25] - [Speaker 1]
Yes.
[00:16:26] - [Speaker 0]
It's a pleasure to have you back on the podcast. I think AI browsing is reshaping security. The big question I keep hearing is, are you ready? And I think just talking to you today will certainly get people coming your way and finding out a little bit more about it. I love to see how things evolve this year, but just thank you for joining me again on the podcast.
[00:16:47] - [Speaker 1]
Alright. Thank you, Neil. Thank you to have me here.
[00:16:51] - [Speaker 0]
So a big thank you to Michael for joining me again, sharing another clear eyed view of where AI browsers are heading, the very real security risks enterprises need to think about, and why security first design is becoming nonnegotiable, especially around AI web browsing. So I'll add links to the show notes so you can follow Mammoth Cyber. Check out their weekly data breach signals on LinkedIn, and also dig deeper into the ideas we discussed today. But as always, I wanna hear your thoughts on this. Are AI browsers already already part of your workflow, or is security still the biggest barrier holding things back?
[00:17:31] - [Speaker 0]
So as we wrap up today, I wanna double down on something I mentioned at the start. If you enjoy Tech Talks Daily, if you get value from these conversations that we're having, or if an episode sparks a new idea or or a challenge for your team, please, I'm gonna ask you to leave a rating or short review on your podcast app of choice. It might seem like a small thing, but it really helps the show reach new listeners and and keep these conversations going. So I will be back on the road throughout the year attending events and meeting leaders across tech, security, and business. And equally, if you're heading to any of the same conferences or even explore working together, head over to techtalksnetwork.com to see where I'll be, what I'm working on, and we can maybe just meet and have a quick chat.
[00:18:17] - [Speaker 0]
Whether it's a coffee, beer, or deeper collaboration, I'm open to almost any conversation. But that's it for today. So thank you for listening as always. Speak with you soon. Bye for now.