• Nearly 80% of global security chiefs plan new investments in AI defenses and automation for 2026.
• The survey shows a clear shift in cybersecurity priorities toward AI-enabled detection, response and automation.
• Organizations that delay could face higher risk from faster, AI-driven threats and miss operational gains.
• Security teams must pair technology adoption with governance, testing and upskilling to get results.

Survey snapshot: budgets moving to AI and automation

A new global survey of chief information security officers (CISOs) and security leaders found that nearly 80% plan to channel fresh 2026 budget dollars into AI-based defenses and automation. That level of consensus marks a notable shift: security spending is moving away from legacy perimeter controls and toward tools that promise faster detection, automated response and machine‑assisted threat hunting.

Why CISOs are changing priorities

The survey’s headline figure reflects several converging pressures. Threat actors are adopting automation and AI techniques, increasing attack speed and complexity. At the same time, security teams are under pressure to do more with limited headcount and to reduce mean time to detect and respond. Investing in AI and automation is seen as a way to extend existing teams, accelerate investigations and reduce manual toil.

This pivot is not just about buying new software. Security leaders are evaluating how AI can be embedded across the stack — from endpoint telemetry and network analysis to cloud monitoring and security orchestration. The end goal is faster, more accurate detection and remediation with fewer human steps.

What this means for organizations

  • Operational impact: Early adopters may see quicker incident response and lower operational costs, but those benefits depend on careful integration and tuning.
  • Risk of overreliance: Blanket deployment of AI without governance can create hidden blind spots and automation errors that attackers may exploit.
  • Talent and training: Upskilling analysts to work with AI-assisted tooling will be critical. Organizations that fail to invest in people as well as technology risk underleveraging new tools.
  • Vendor landscape: Expect increased demand for solutions that combine strong telemetry, explainable AI and playbook‑driven automation. Competition and consolidation are likely as vendors race to meet CISO requirements.

Practical steps for security leaders

Security teams preparing for 2026 should prioritize pilots and measurable outcomes. Start with high‑value use cases — e.g., automating routine alert triage or orchestrating containment for known indicators — and measure changes in detection time, false positives and analyst workload. Establish governance policies for AI use, require explainability for critical flows, and run tabletop exercises to validate automations before broad rollout.

Bottom line

The survey makes one thing clear: AI and automation will be central to many security budgets in 2026. That shift offers potential gains in speed and scale, but delivers the most value when paired with governance, testing and investment in people. Organizations that act now — thoughtfully — will likely outperform peers that delay.

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