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Cybersecurity teams are taking a cautious approach to artificial intelligence (AI), despite industry hype and pressure from business pioneers to accelerate adoption, according to a new survey from ISC2. While AI is widely promoted as a game-changer for security operations, only a small proportion of practitioners have integrated these tools into their daily workflows, with many remaining hesitant due to concerns over privacy, oversight, and unintended risks. Advanced in industrial sectors Many CISOs remain cautious about AI adoption, citing concerns around privacy, oversight, and the risks of moving Many CISOs remain cautious about AI adoption, citing concerns around privacy, oversight, and the risks of moving too quickly. A recent survey of over 1,000 cybersecurity professionals found that just 30 percent of cybersecurity teams are currently using AI tools in their daily operations, while 42 percent are still evaluating their options. Only 10 percent said they have no plans to adopt AI at all. Adoption is most advanced in industrial sectors (38 percent), IT services (36 percent), and professional services (34 percent). Larger organisations with more than 10,000 employees are further ahead on the adoption curve, with 37 percent actively using AI tools. Potential of AI in cybersecurity In contrast, smaller businesses, particularly those with fewer than 99 staff or between 500 and 2,499 employees, show the lowest uptake, with only 20 percent using AI. Among the smallest organisations, 23 percent say they have no plans to evaluate AI security tools at all. Andy Ward, SVP International at Absolute Security, commented: “The ISC2 research echoes what we’re hearing from CISOs globally. There’s real enthusiasm for the potential of AI in cybersecurity, but also a growing recognition that the risks are escalating just as fast. Our research shows that over a third (34%) of CISOs have already banned certain AI tools like DeepSeek entirely, driven by fears of privacy breaches and loss of control." Robust strategies for cyber resilience Among the smallest organisations, 23 percent say they have no plans to evaluate AI security tools at all Ward added: "AI offers huge promise to improve detection, speed up response times, and strengthen defences, but without robust strategies for cyber resilience and real-time visibility, organisations risk sleepwalking into deeper vulnerabilities." "As attackers leverage AI to reduce the gap between vulnerability and exploitation, our defences must evolve with equal urgency. Now is the time for security pioneers to ensure their people, processes, and technologies are aligned, or risk being left dangerously exposed.” Privacy and control over sensitive data Arkadiy Ukolov, Co-Founder and CEO at Ulla Technology Ltd, comments: “It’s no surprise to see security professionals taking a measured, cautious approach to AI. While these tools bring undeniable efficiencies, privacy and control over sensitive data must come first. Too many AI solutions today operate in ways that risk exposing confidential information through third-party platforms or unsecured systems." "For AI to be truly fit for purpose in cybersecurity, it must be built on privacy-first foundations, where data remains under the user’s control and is processed securely within an enclosed environment. Protecting sensitive information demands more than advanced tech alone, it requires ongoing staff awareness, training on AI use, and a robust infrastructure that doesn’t compromise security." Key areas of improvement Over half of cybersecurity professionals believe AI will reduce the need for entry-level roles Despite this caution, where AI has been implemented, the benefits are clear. 70 percent of those already using AI tools report positive impacts on their cybersecurity team’s overall effectiveness. Key areas of improvement include network monitoring and intrusion detection (60 percent), endpoint protection and response (56 percent), vulnerability management (50 percent), threat modelling (45 percent), and security testing (43 percent). Looking ahead, AI adoption is expected to have a mixed impact on hiring. Over half of cybersecurity professionals believe AI will reduce the need for entry-level roles by automating repetitive tasks. Skills and roles required to manage AI technologies However, 31% anticipate that AI will create new opportunities for junior talent or demand new skill sets, helping to rebalance some of the projected reductions in headcount.  Encouragingly, 44% said their hiring plans have not yet been affected, though the same proportion reports that their organisations are actively reconsidering the skills and roles required to manage AI technologies.

Absolute Security, a pioneer in enterprise resilience, announced new Extreme Resilience capabilities available in Rehydrate, an Absolute Resilience Platform module. Rehydrate enables remote restoration of Windows endpoints at enterprise scale with a single click. It delivers full recovery even when the device OS and other security or management tools have crashed, been compromised, or become corrupted. New Extreme Resilience capabilities With these new Extreme Resilience capabilities, Rehydrate is now the only business continuity restoration solution that offers playbook-driven response capabilities that empower Security and IT operations teams to: Respond to almost any failure condition with corrective actions, in any environment, without waiting for vendors to prioritise incidents, issue patches, or remediate issues. Define and execute incident-specific playbooks tailored to nearly any failure conditions, including targeted ransomware attacks. Trigger playbooks via API to integrate with SIEM, SOAR, and other SOC and IT operations tools to support automated investigation, response, and recovery workflows. Internal security and risk policies These findings and others in the report show that corps need to be ready to respond immediately The Absolute Security Resilience Risk Index 2025 revealed that organisations struggle to keep top security and risk controls in compliance with internal security and risk policies as much as 22 percent of the time. These findings and others in the report show that organisations need to be ready to respond immediately and independently — without relying on vendors’ external timelines or tools that may fail or present delays when they’re needed most. New level of Extreme Resilience “When the inevitable attack strikes or disruption hits, time becomes a liability. You can’t afford to rely on a single-purpose solution or wait while another organisation decides how severe your issue is or when to respond,” said John Herrema, Chief Product Officer, Absolute Security. “You need a new level of Extreme Resilience that puts you in control, empowering you to assess, prioritise, and remediate disruptions without delay.”

The UK’s AI Safety Institute has been recast as the UK AI Security Institute, bolstering protections against AI risks facing national security and crime, and delivering a key pillar of the government’s Plan for Change. The pivot reflects a focus on serious AI risks with security implications, including malicious cyber-attacks, crimes against fraud and the development of weaponry. Assess the risks by frontier AI AI Security Institute will partner with national units, including the Defence Science and Technology Lab The AI Security Institute will partner with several government departments, including the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, the Ministry of Defence’s science and technology organisation, in order to assess the risks posed by frontier AI on UK security infrastructure. Setting out his vision for the revamped AI Security Institute in Munich, Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said: “The changes I’m announcing today represent the logical next step in how we approach responsible AI development – helping us to unleash AI and grow the economy as part of our Plan for Change.” Crime and security issues Kyle added: “The main job of any government is ensuring its citizens are safe and protected, and I’m confident the expertise our institute will be able to bring to bear will ensure the UK is in a stronger position than ever to tackle the threat of those who would look to use this technology against us.” As part of the update, the Institute is launching a new criminal misuse team, conducting research alongside the Home Office on crime and security issues that threaten society. Importance of the national security community The government accepted the extent of the national security society in supporting the edited focus The government acknowledged the importance of the national security community in supporting the revamped focus, building on the expertise of the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC).  Joint departments will work to understand the most serious risks posed by AI and build research to inform policymakers and keep the UK safe as AI develops. Security against AI-driven threats Achi Lewis, Area VP EMEA for Absolute Security, said: "The establishment of the UK AI Security Institute is a crucial step in safeguarding national security against AI-driven threats. With AI increasingly being weaponised in cyber-attacks, the urgency for robust defences has never been greater." "Our research highlights how 54% of CISOs feel unprepared for AI-driven attacks. This proves the need for stronger cyber resilience frameworks, enhanced network visibility, and proactive security measures." Ensure AI development Lewis added: "Security pioneers must act now to mitigate risks before they escalate." It comes following the AI Actions Summit in Paris, with the UK and US refusing to sign an international agreement which set out to ensure AI development is “transparent”, “safe”, and “secure and trustworthy,” citing concerns about national security and global governance.