AI in Cybersecurity: Leaders Embrace, Concerns Linger

Published Date : 24/10/2025 

As cybersecurity skills gaps widen, leaders are turning to AI to augment their defenses, but they remain wary of the technology's potential risks. 

As companies face mounting cybersecurity skills gaps and expanding attack surfaces, they are cautiously turning to AI-powered automation to bolster their defenses.

Overwhelmed cybersecurity executives hope AI can help them avoid missing signs of intrusions, even as they remain wary of the technology’s potential risks, according to a report by Red Canary. The report highlights why so many security leaders are embracing AI: Three-quarters of them reported not having enough people skilled at intrusion detection, while 72% reported a skills shortage around incident response.

In addition, nearly three-quarters of security leaders said the amount of time it takes to resolve an intrusion has increased. Red Canary’s report suggests that companies view AI as a partial solution to the significant burnout rates that threaten their defensive postures.

The report, based on a survey of 550 cybersecurity leaders from the U.S. and other Western countries, found that 85% of respondents worry about being overwhelmed by the volume of threats if they don’t use artificial intelligence to help spot intrusions. “AI works best as a force multiplier, augmenting human judgment rather than replacing it,” said Brian Beyer, co-founder of Red Canary, in a statement. “The organizations that lean into this shift now will not only ease the strain on security analysts, but put themselves in the best position to anticipate emerging threats and stay ahead of disruption in an increasingly unpredictable environment.”

However, AI is also exacerbating security leaders' worries even as it augments their capabilities. Three-quarters of respondents said they worried AI would reduce their problem-solving abilities, a major concern given the importance of human expertise in stopping increasingly creative attacks. Nearly half (43%) of respondents said their organization had already experienced a cyber incident related to their AI tools.

At the same time, executives think AI could help them spot increasingly sophisticated identity-based attacks. Nearly two-thirds of respondents are using AI for detection analytics, with another 59% using it for intrusion detection. Roughly 80% of security leaders reported experiencing intrusions in which attackers broke in with stolen credentials rather than malware.

The expanding range of devices that security teams have to protect has also made their jobs more difficult. Red Canary reported that the average organization’s attack surface has grown by 41% over the past year. Survey respondents reported an average breach cost of $3.7 million, and nearly half of respondents said breaches had temporarily disrupted their services.

Despite the challenges, the integration of AI in cybersecurity is seen as a necessary step to stay ahead of evolving threats. Security leaders must navigate the double-edged sword of AI, leveraging its benefits while mitigating its risks to protect their organizations effectively. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS): 

Q: What is the main concern of cybersecurity leaders regarding AI?

A: The main concern is that AI might reduce their problem-solving abilities and increase the risk of cyber incidents related to AI tools.

Q: How is AI being used in cybersecurity?

A: AI is being used for detection analytics and intrusion detection, helping to spot increasingly sophisticated identity-based attacks.

Q: What is the average breach cost reported in the survey?

A: The average breach cost reported in the survey is $3.7 million.

Q: How much has the average organization’s attack surface grown over the past year?

A: The average organization’s attack surface has grown by 41% over the past year.

Q: What percentage of cybersecurity leaders reported a skills shortage in intrusion detection?

A: Three-quarters of cybersecurity leaders reported a skills shortage in intrusion detection. 

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