In the latest episode of  Lead with AI, Dr. Tamara Nall speaks with Howie Xu, Chief AI and Innovation Officer at Gen Digital, who brings decades of experience in computer technology, cloud computing, and cybersecurity to one of the most ambitious AI projects in recent memory. With a background that includes founding an AI cybersecurity company acquired by Zscaler and serving as Senior VP of AI at Palo Alto Networks, Xu combines deep technical expertise with practical innovation experience. His transition into consumer-focused AI at Gen Digital, the parent company behind Norton, LifeLock, and other trusted security brands, represents a significant shift in how AI technology can be delivered safely to everyday users.

What makes Xu's perspective particularly valuable is his unique position at the intersection of enterprise AI security and consumer protection. Gen Digital serves over 500 million users worldwide, giving Xu and his team an unprecedented platform for deploying AI innovations at massive scale. The timing of this conversation proves especially noteworthy, as it occurred just 24 hours after the launch of Norton Neo, an AI-powered browser that aims to fundamentally reimagine how people interact with the internet after three decades of relatively unchanged browsing experiences.

This blog explores how Norton Neo represents a new category of AI-powered browsing, the unique challenges of innovating within large corporations, the critical importance of building consumer trust in AI technology, and Xu's vision for how AI will disrupt major industries over the next decade. His insights reveal both the opportunities and obstacles facing companies attempting to bring meaningful AI innovation to consumer markets while maintaining the security and privacy standards users expect.

Reimagining the Browser for the AI Era  

The fundamental premise behind Norton Neo challenges an assumption that most users have never questioned: why should browsers remain passive tools that simply respond to user commands? According to Xu, the browsing experience has remained essentially unchanged since Netscape pioneered web browsing 30 years ago. While browsers have become faster and more feature-rich, they still operate on the same basic principle of users actively navigating to specific destinations rather than browsers anticipating user needs and staying ahead of their intentions.

Norton Neo attempts to transform this dynamic by creating what Xu describes as having a personal assistant or expert companion sitting alongside users as they browse. Rather than requiring users to explicitly search for information or navigate to specific websites, the AI-powered browser learns user patterns and proactively surfaces relevant content, shortcuts, and reminders. This represents a shift away from reactive browsing toward predictive digital assistance that understands context and anticipates needs before users fully articulate them.

The technical implementation combines Gen Digital's world-class cybersecurity intelligence with advanced AI capabilities to create what Xu positions as a safe AI experience. This marriage of security expertise and artificial intelligence addresses a critical gap in the current AI landscape, where many tools prioritize functionality over safety. By leveraging the same threat detection and web safety technologies that protect Norton's existing user base, Norton Neo aims to provide AI-enhanced browsing without compromising the security standards users have come to expect from the Norton brand.

Innovation Challenges in Large Corporations  

Xu's candid discussion of innovation challenges within large corporations provides valuable insights into why many breakthrough technologies emerge from startups rather than established tech giants. Despite Google's invention of the transformer model that underpins modern AI, OpenAI successfully launched ChatGPT and captured public attention first. This paradox illustrates how having superior technology and more resources doesn't automatically translate to market leadership in emerging categories.

The challenge becomes even more complex when attempting to innovate within consumer-focused companies that serve hundreds of millions of users. Xu acknowledges that 99% of corporate innovation attempts fail to achieve their intended impact, making successful innovation within large organizations a rare achievement. The bureaucratic structures, risk aversion, and competing priorities that naturally develop in successful large companies can inadvertently stifle the experimental mindset necessary for breakthrough innovation.

However, Xu also recognizes the unique advantages that large corporations bring to AI innovation, particularly in consumer markets. Gen Digital's existing relationships with 500 million users provide an unmatched distribution platform for new technologies. The challenge lies in successfully navigating the organizational dynamics that allow small teams to move quickly while leveraging the scale and resources that only large companies can provide. Xu expresses particular pride in what he describes as decoding at least half of the innovation puzzle within large corporations, suggesting that Norton Neo represents a successful model for future AI initiatives.

Building Trust in AI Technology  

One of the most significant obstacles facing AI adoption across consumer markets is the trust deficit that Xu identifies in his research. With only 39% of people expressing trust in AI technology, companies face the challenge of delivering AI benefits while addressing legitimate concerns about safety, privacy, and reliability. This trust gap creates a particularly acute challenge for companies like Gen Digital, whose brand reputation depends heavily on user confidence in their security and privacy practices.

Xu's approach to addressing this trust issue centres on transparency and gradual capability introduction rather than overwhelming users with advanced features they may not understand or trust. Norton Neo begins with limited activation for small numbers of users, allowing the company to gather feedback and refine the experience before broader deployment. This measured approach reflects lessons learned from both enterprise and consumer AI implementations, where user adoption often depends more on comfort and familiarity than on technical capabilities.

The integration of Gen Digital's existing cybersecurity infrastructure into Norton Neo also addresses trust concerns by ensuring that AI capabilities don't compromise the security standards users expect. Rather than asking users to choose between AI functionality and security, Norton Neo attempts to deliver both simultaneously. This approach recognizes that consumer AI adoption will likely depend on companies that can demonstrate both innovation and responsibility in their AI implementations.

Future of AI Disruption Across Industries  

Looking toward the next five to ten years, Xu envisions AI disruption extending far beyond technology companies into fundamental aspects of daily life. He identifies three major areas where AI impact will become particularly visible: transportation, healthcare, and education. Each of these sectors represents massive markets where AI capabilities could create substantial improvements in efficiency, accessibility, and outcomes.

In transportation, Xu expects robot taxis and self-driving vehicles to become significantly more common, building on existing deployments in cities like San Francisco. Healthcare represents another area where AI could accelerate disease understanding and treatment development, potentially leading to breakthroughs in conditions that have remained difficult to treat. The recent Nobel Prizes awarded to AI scientists in physics and chemistry validate Xu's prediction that AI will continue making significant contributions to scientific research and discovery.

Education presents both the greatest opportunity and the most complex implementation challenges, according to Xu's analysis. Despite decades of technological advancement, educational systems worldwide have remained relatively unchanged for over a century. The internet, despite its transformative impact on other industries, has primarily served as an augmentation tool rather than a fundamental disruptor of educational methods. Xu believes AI represents the first technology with the potential to truly transform how learning occurs, though he acknowledges that educational institutions' resistance to change will likely slow adoption compared to other sectors.

The key factors that will determine successful AI disruption across these industries include:

1. Regulatory adaptation that allows innovation while protecting consumer interests

2. Infrastructure development that supports new AI-enabled services and business models

3. User acceptance driven by clear benefits that outweigh perceived risks

4. Economic incentives that reward organizations for adopting AI-enhanced approaches

5. Integration capabilities that allow AI to enhance rather than replace existing valuable processes

Taking Action on AI Innovation  

The conversation with Xu reveals that organizations and individuals interested in AI innovation face a critical window of opportunity. Norton Neo represents just one example of how established companies with strong security credentials can successfully enter emerging AI markets by focusing on user trust and practical benefits rather than technical sophistication alone.

For business leaders considering AI initiatives, Xu's experience suggests that success depends more on thoughtful implementation and user adoption strategies than on having the most advanced technology. The companies that will thrive in the AI era will be those that can effectively combine innovation with responsibility, delivering clear value while maintaining the trust and confidence of their user base.

Norton Neo is currently available at neotoday.ai with limited initial activation as the team refines the experience based on early user feedback. This measured approach to product launch reflects broader lessons about AI implementation: success often depends on gradual adoption and continuous improvement rather than attempting to deliver perfect solutions immediately.

As AI continues reshaping how we work, learn, and interact with digital tools, the organizations that succeed will be those that prioritize user experience and trust alongside technical capability. Norton Neo's launch represents an important test case for whether large corporations can successfully innovate in AI while maintaining the security and privacy standards that consumers expect. The next few years will reveal whether this approach can successfully disrupt markets dominated by tech giants or whether innovation will continue emerging primarily from smaller, more agile organizations.

To learn more about Norton Neo and Gen Digital's AI innovations, visit neotoday.ai and experience first-hand how AI-powered browsing could transform your daily digital interactions while maintaining the security standards you expect from trusted cybersecurity leaders.