A new study has revealed that 86% of organisations have increased their use of AI within Security Operations (SecOps) over the past year. Despite the rise in AI adoption, Deep Instinct’s Voice of SecOps Report highlighted a significant knowledge gap, with 38% of respondents unable to differentiate between machine learning and deep learning.
The finding is part of a broader study titled “Cybersecurity & AI: Promises, Pitfalls – and Prevention Paradise,” which examines the growing influence of AI in business security strategies. The online survey, conducted in April 2025 by Sapio Research, involved 500 senior cybersecurity experts from US companies with over 1,000 employees.
The report also shows that 72% of organisations have revised their cybersecurity strategies due to AI, reflecting the technology’s growing impact. However, the research indicates that security teams face challenges, including inconsistent implementation and mounting operational pressures, as they navigate an increasingly AI-driven threat landscape.
AI-powered cyber threats have prompted nearly half (46%) of the surveyed organisations to report an increase in targeted phishing attacks, with 43% experiencing deepfake impersonations. Additionally, 83% of respondents identified attacks on local or cloud storage as a major concern, second only to phishing at 84%.
In response to these threats, 82% of organisations have shifted towards a prevention-first security strategy, with 64% noting a direct push from the C-suite for more proactive defence measures. While 76% of SecOps teams find AI simplifies their roles, saving an average of 12 hours per week on manual tasks, nearly 70% of security professionals believe AI also contributes to burnout.
Knowledge gaps and regulatory challenges persist amid increased AI use in SecOps
The report further highlights regulatory challenges, with 32% of respondents struggling to keep up with AI-related policies and 37% fearing financial penalties from these regulations. Preemptive data security, a subset of Gartner’s preemptive cybersecurity market category, offers a potential solution by using deep learning to prevent threats before they occur, thus reducing risk and easing the burden on SecOps teams.
“The traditional ‘detect and respond’ cybersecurity model is broken – it’s reactive, expensive, and no match for AI-powered threats,” said Deep Instinct CEO Lane Bess. “To win this fight, cybersecurity teams must shift from chasing threats to preventing them. Preemptive data security – powered by deep learning, the most advanced form of AI – is the only way for SecOps teams to regain control and stay ahead of adversaries.”
Another recent survey by PwC has shown that 88% of US companies intend to boost their AI-related budgets over the next year, motivated by adopting agentic AI. The survey found that 79% of these firms have incorporated AI agents into their operations, with 66% observing measurable productivity improvements.
Read more: 88% of US firms to increase AI budgets amid agentic AI adoption, finds survey
