Survey: As AI use in cybersecurity rises, so do the risks

The gap between deployment of artificial intelligence tools in cybersecurity and confidence in those tools is widening as organizations struggle to establish governance for effective implementation, a global survey shows.

Active use of AI in cybersecurity strategy among IT and security professionals rose from 50% to 78% in one year, according to the 2026 SANS AI Survey Insights by SANS Institute, an information and cybersecurity training company. At the same time, increased deployment has produced more failures.

The survey found that 63% of practitioners reported significant AI shortcomings in threat detection and response, up from 45% in 2025, and two-thirds said AI guidance has steered them wrong at least once in the past year.

Only 27% of practitioners labeled their AI deployment as mature, and most said that AI remained in a supporting role or pilot phase. See more findings.