Channel Women In Security: Navigating The AI Landscape, Compliance And Security With Pax8’s Michelle Correia

The Pax8 Marketplace plays a critical role in the channel for cloud solutions. But how does the company navigate AI, compliance and security? More in this exclusive interview with Michelle Correia. The conversation emphasizes the need for trust and collaboration in navigating the complexities of AI and compliance in the channel.

Cass Cooper connected with Michelle Correia, vice president of legal at Pax8. The two discuss the rapid evolution of AI technology, the importance of building responsible AI systems and the existing legal frameworks that partners need to be aware of. Michelle shares her insight on empowering women in tech and legal fields, the significance of transparency in AI usage and how AI can enhance productivity rather than replace jobs.

[Previous CwIS Episode: Leading the Charge in Cyber Resilience]

The full episode can be watched on YouTube (above), heard on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

What is your role at Pax8, especially as it relates to security, cybersecurity and legal compliance?

I primarily support the EMEA region, but I’m also the global data privacy officer. I oversee privacy and AI compliance across the business. My role closely aligns with the trust and security team, which manages cybersecurity, but I focus more on data privacy—especially as it relates to AI. Right now, a lot of my work involves preparing Pax8 for emerging AI regulations and ensuring we build responsible, future-proof AI systems.

AI is everywhere. While AI itself isn’t new, its widespread public use is. How do you see AI affecting partners in terms of data protection and security?

AI has evolved so quickly in the last 18 months, with new functionality constantly emerging. Tools like Copilot introduce a wave of new capabilities at an overwhelming pace. While this innovation is exciting, the regulatory landscape is also shifting rapidly.

For partners, the challenge is ensuring they invest in AI in a way that is both innovative and compliant. The last thing anyone wants is to implement AI-powered solutions only to later strip them out due to legal constraints. That’s why we developed a compliance framework at Pax8—to help us stay ahead of legislation and guide our partners in responsible AI adoption.

Legal compliance in security and data protection isn’t new, especially in EMEA. What existing frameworks should partners be aware of when implementing AI?

Most AI legislation is still on the horizon, but privacy regulations—like GDPR—are already in effect. Since AI relies heavily on data, including personal data, compliance is critical. Transparency, record-keeping and responsible data protection are essential elements of AI governance.

At Pax8, we focus on privacy by design—embedding compliance into AI tools from the start. A significant part of upcoming AI legislation revolves around risk assessments, data transparency, and accountability. Partners should prepare by documenting their AI use cases now, ensuring they align with existing privacy laws.

Let’s talk about you. You work in two male-over-represented industries—technology and law. How has that shaped your approach to leadership and daily operations?

Honestly, I find it empowering. My role combines legal and compliance expertise, which gives me a unique platform in both fields. The biggest challenge is making compliance accessible—translating complex legal jargon into practical, easy-to-implement solutions.

For example, when we developed our AI compliance program, my goal wasn’t just to draft policies. It was to simplify AI regulations into a framework that anyone at Pax8 could understand and apply. My focus isn’t on being the smartest person in the room—it’s on making compliance understandable and actionable.

A past guest, Tia Hopkins, said, ‘You can’t talk in bits and bytes when your stakeholders speak in dollars and cents.’ Would you agree?

Absolutely. The word compliance can feel intimidating—like you’re about to be audited or punished for doing something wrong. But compliance is really about protection—safeguarding businesses, data and customers from risk. The more we simplify these processes the more businesses can proactively integrate compliance into their operations.

Pax8 serves thousands of partners. How do you integrate new laws and regulations into your marketplace to protect both the products and the people using them?

That’s where our eight-pillar compliance framework comes in. It applies to our internal operations, our marketplace and our partners. The goal is to ensure AI adoption is safe, transparent and future-proof.

Here are a few key pillars:

Leadership And Oversight: A designated AI lead, like our chief AI officer, to oversee governance.
Data Classification And Access Control: Ensuring AI tools don’t access sensitive data they shouldn’t.
AI Usage Records: Keeping a clear record of how AI is used to comply with future regulations.
Transparency And Trust: Our compliance framework is publicly available on our Trust Center, so partners and customers can see how we handle AI responsibly.

By openly sharing our framework, we aim to help partners build their own compliance strategies while reinforcing trust in the Pax8 ecosystem.

Do you think AI is going to take our jobs?

AI isn’t about replacing jobs; it’s about augmenting them.

Most of us have overflowing to-do lists. AI helps lighten that load by automating tedious, repetitive tasks, allowing us to focus on higher-value work. For example, in our legal team, we use AI to draft first versions of policies—not to replace human input, but to accelerate the process. Instead of staring at a blank page, we edit and refine AI-generated drafts, making our work more efficient and strategic.

I actually think not adopting AI is riskier than embracing it. Those who leverage AI for efficiency will gain a competitive edge. My advice? Experiment, learn and see how AI can enhance—not replace—your expertise.

Before we wrap up, is there anything else you want partners to know?

Yes—transparency builds trust. AI adoption isn’t about pretending a robot is a human. It’s about being open and honest about how AI is used and how it improves business operations. At Pax8, we prioritize transparency so partners can trust that our marketplace and AI tools are built responsibly.

For those interested, check out our Trust Center on the Pax8 website. We’ll continue updating it with AI compliance insights, helping partners navigate this evolving space.