For years the patching rhythm was simple. A vendor released fixes, you applied them on a monthly cycle, and that was good enough. It is not anymore. Attackers now use AI to take a brand-new patch apart and build a working exploit in hours instead of weeks, which means the gap between a fix being released and your systems actually having it is the window they walk through. A once-a-month patch routine is starting to look less like diligence and more like an open door.