Cybermate unveils AI cyber safety companion for SMEs

Cybermate has outlined plans for an agentic AI "safety companion" designed to give users real-time guidance as they make potentially risky cyber decisions. The company is targeting Australia's small and medium-sized businesses, schools, charities and community organisations.

It described the expansion as the next stage of its behavioural-first cybersecurity platform, citing the role of human error in breaches and the limits of periodic training programmes.

The new agentic AI feature is intended to provide continuous, contextual prompts during day-to-day work. Cybermate positioned it as an alternative to annual cyber awareness modules, which it argued often fail to change behaviour when users are under pressure or facing deception.

"Cybersecurity has a human problem, not a tooling problem. Most breaches happen because people are rushed, pressured, or deceived," said Greg Caleo, Cybermate Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder.

"People don't need another dashboard; they need a mate who has their back at the exact moment a decision is made. Agentic AI finally makes that possible," he said.

Behaviour Focus

Cybermate's approach centres on what it calls "Psybersecurity", a blend of psychology, micro-training, real-world simulations and real-time coaching.

The planned agentic AI layer would sit on top of that model. With user consent, the system would observe behavioural signals, interpret risk patterns, and offer guidance before an incident occurs. Cybermate described the guidance as timely and empathetic.

The announcement comes as smaller organisations face pressure from phishing, business email compromise, credential theft and other common attack methods. Many of these threats rely on social engineering rather than the exploitation of software flaws, making staff judgement, process discipline and organisational culture central to cyber risk management.

The focus on SMEs, schools and charities reflects a wider market trend. Many smaller organisations lack dedicated security teams and run lean IT functions, yet still handle sensitive personal and financial data. They also manage third-party suppliers and cloud services, increasing the number of accounts and touchpoints that can be targeted.

Roadmap Phases

Cybermate outlined a five-phase roadmap for the platform, beginning with real-time behavioural coaching. Later phases include autonomous detection of human-risk signals, followed by AI-driven incident prevention.

It also flagged plans for personalised safety companions and a multi-agent system that links behavioural and technical signals. Cybermate did not provide a timeline or disclose pricing or deployment details.

The roadmap points to a shift from education and simulation to more active intervention based on signals observed in everyday work. That direction raises questions about user privacy, governance and organisational change management, particularly in schools and not-for-profit environments where staff and volunteer turnover can be high. Cybermate said observation would occur with consent, suggesting an intention to address these issues through user controls and transparency, although it did not provide operational details.

Policy Context

Cybermate linked its expansion to the Australian Government's national cybersecurity strategy, which highlights improving the cyber resilience of small businesses, schools and charities, given the economic and social disruption that can follow a successful attack.

Policy emphasis has coincided with growing expectations that organisations should raise baseline cyber hygiene, manage identity and access effectively, and improve staff awareness. Vendors have responded with products that combine training, monitoring, and risk reporting. Cybermate's proposal puts greater weight on behaviour at the moment of decision, which it sees as where many incidents begin.

"This next chapter supports our mission to make Australia the most cyber-secure nation on earth," said Caleo.

Awards Record

Cybermate said it has received recognition from the ARN Innovation Awards in 2022, 2023 and 2024, as well as the 2024 Business NSW Award. It also cited finalist nominations in the 2025 Australian Cyber Awards and the Small Business Champion Awards.

The company aims to differentiate in a crowded cybersecurity awareness market by combining training with in-the-moment coaching. Its target sectors often need straightforward tools and clear reporting for management and boards, while facing time constraints on staff training and internal policy enforcement.

"By giving everyday workers a trusted digital companion, we're making cyber safety accessible, practical, and human," Caleo said.