- More companies now assess AI security risks before deployment
- Executives see AI as the biggest driver of cybersecurity change
- Phishing remains the top threat, accelerated by AI tools
- Organizations increasingly use AI to defend against AI driven attacks
For years, artificial intelligence raced ahead of the controls designed to keep it safe. Tools were adopted quickly, often driven by productivity gains and competitive pressure, while security teams struggled to keep pace.
That imbalance is now starting to shift. New findings show that businesses are becoming more deliberate about how they deploy AI, with risk assessment moving from an afterthought to a prerequisite.
Nearly two thirds of organizations now evaluate AI related risks before rolling out new tools. That figure represents a dramatic jump from last year, when barely over a third took the same precautions. The change suggests a maturing mindset. AI is no longer viewed as a shiny experiment but as a core business technology that can introduce serious exposure if mishandled.
This growing caution is not driven by fear alone. It reflects a broader realization that AI is reshaping cybersecurity itself. Almost every organization surveyed believes AI will be the single biggest force influencing their security strategy by 2026. In other words, AI is no longer just something to protect. It is something that will define how protection works.
Why AI Risk Awareness Is Rising So Fast
The wake up call has been loud. A large majority of business leaders now believe that vulnerabilities tied to AI systems have increased over the past year. Data leaks top the list of executive concerns, particularly among CEOs who are acutely aware of the reputational and regulatory fallout that follows a breach.
Technical weaknesses inside AI systems are also drawing more scrutiny than before. Compared with last year, concern about the security of AI models and infrastructure has more than doubled. This shift reflects a better understanding of how these systems can be manipulated, poisoned, or misused if left unchecked.
Interestingly, some traditional fears are losing urgency. Worries about increasingly sophisticated adversaries have declined, not because attackers are becoming less capable, but because organizations are reframing the threat.
The problem is no longer just who is attacking, but how accessible and scalable attack tools have become. AI has lowered the barrier to entry, enabling less skilled actors to launch more convincing and more frequent attacks.
Geopolitics also plays a role. Around two thirds of organizations now factor politically motivated cyberattacks into their planning. As a result, many are exploring sovereign cloud solutions to retain greater control over sensitive data and reduce exposure to cross border risks.
A Divided View From the C Suite
While leaders broadly agree that AI driven threats are rising, their priorities differ depending on their role. CEOs tend to focus on fraud, data exposure, and AI specific vulnerabilities that could directly impact trust and brand value. These risks resonate at the top because they threaten customer confidence and shareholder confidence alike.
Security leaders, on the other hand, remain more concerned about operational threats such as ransomware and supply chain disruption. These issues can halt business operations overnight and are often amplified by AI powered automation on the attacker side.
Despite these differences, there is notable alignment on one issue. Software vulnerabilities remain a shared concern across leadership roles, ranking high for both executives and security teams. This common ground may prove critical in aligning budgets and strategies as AI adoption deepens.
Fighting AI Threats With AI Itself
Perhaps the most telling sign of progress is that companies are not retreating from AI in response to these risks. Instead, they are leaning into it. More than three quarters of organizations now use AI as part of their cybersecurity defenses.
The most common use case remains phishing detection, which makes sense given that phishing continues to dominate the threat landscape. AI is also widely used for intrusion detection and for automating routine security operations, helping teams respond faster and at greater scale.
Yet adoption is not without friction. Skills shortages remain the biggest obstacle. Many organizations lack the expertise needed to deploy and manage AI securely. Others are wary of relying too heavily on automated decisions, emphasizing the need for human oversight. Uncertainty around AI risks also persists, particularly as regulations and best practices continue to evolve.
Looking ahead, the most dangerous threats are expected to become more convincing rather than entirely new. Deepfake scams, automated social engineering, and hyper personalized phishing campaigns are likely to proliferate.
Even so, the core mechanics of cybercrime remain familiar. Phishing still works because it exploits human behavior, and AI simply makes it faster, cheaper, and harder to detect.
The difference now is that businesses are starting to acknowledge this reality and act on it. That shift, more than any single tool or policy, may be the most important security upgrade of all.
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