Next‑Gen Pentesting: AI Empowers the Good Guys

This piece from a16z argues that traditional penetration testing—done manually and periodically—can no longer match the pace and complexity of modern systems, which now change continuously through cloud deployments, APIs, and agile development. While manual pentests remain meticulous, they offer only snapshots, leaving many vulnerabilities undetected due to rapid software evolution. The article explains how a new generation of AI‑driven pentesting tools integrates large language models with classic exploit frameworks, real‑time telemetry, and proprietary exploit data to operate at scale. These tools can autonomously plan, test, and validate exploits, or act as intelligent copilots that assist human pentesters—automating routine work and surfacing deeper logic‑based flaws that traditional scanners miss. The result is continuous, context‑aware testing embedded throughout development pipelines, transforming pentesting from occasional audits into ongoing software hygiene. 

https://a16z.com/next-gen-pentesting-ai-empowers-the-good-guys/

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