An AI orchestrator is software that coordinates multi-step AI workflows. It can chain repeated model calls, choose tools or agents, pass outputs from one step to the next, and manage retries, state, and fallback logic. In practice, it sits above the model layer and helps turn individual prompts into a controlled process.
In cyber security, orchestration matters because it becomes a control plane for sensitive automation. If an attacker changes routing rules, tampers with tool permissions, or abuses credentials, they may steer the workflow, trigger unsafe actions, or expose data across several systems. Defenders use orchestration to enforce policy, log activity, rate-limit usage, and switch to safer fallbacks when a provider fails. Good governance is essential, because a misconfigured orchestrator can create outages, data-handling mistakes, or policy violations at scale.