Fears about cybersecurity are causing business executives to resist adopting AI tools and technologies.

Despite the burgeoning enthusiasm and transformative possibilities presented by artificial intelligence, reports indicate that organisations are actively pursuing innovation even amidst escalating security concerns. Contrary to a widespread assumption of caution, studies reveal that only a minority, specifically 29% of surveyed executives, express reluctance in adopting AI tools and technologies due to potential cybersecurity ramifications. This suggests a proactive stance among many business leaders who recognise the strategic importance of AI despite the accompanying risks.

Cyber/AI boardroom meeting

This highlights a significant anticipation of AI-driven cyber threats in the coming year, including sophisticated attacks like deepfakes and synthetic identity fraud. Alarmingly, a considerable gap exists between this expectation and the level of preparedness within organisations. While 42% of executives foresee AI-powered attacks, a mere 29% feel adequately equipped to handle them. Similarly, only 32% believe their organisation is ready for deepfake attacks, despite 44% anticipating their occurrence. This growing sophistication of attacks, fueled by AI, is also making it increasingly challenging for employees to discern genuine threats, as noted by 59% of the surveyed executives.

On a positive note, the past year has witnessed a greater emphasis on cyber resilience across organisations. A significant 45% of executives now recognise cyber resilience as a company-wide priority, a notable increase from 27% in the previous year. This elevated awareness is accompanied by improved alignment between cybersecurity teams and other business units, with 66% of executives reporting such synergy. Furthermore, organisations demonstrating strong cyber resilience are seeing increased engagement from their boardrooms in related discussions and are more inclined to embrace innovation due to their adaptive security postures.

To effectively build cyber resilience in this evolving threat landscape, the report emphasises four crucial steps for organizations. These include elevating cyber resilience to a top-level board priority, adopting a forward-thinking and deliberate security approach, cultivating a security-conscious culture among all employees, and prioritising the resilience of the software supply chain. This necessitates integrating cybersecurity considerations into high-level business decisions, making early investments in advanced threat detection, implementing a zero-trust security model, providing regular cybersecurity training, and thoroughly vetting the security practices of suppliers.

The actions taken by leaders in 2025 will be critical in safeguarding their organisations against increasingly sophisticated AI-powered threats.