Survey finds cybersecurity investments on the rise amid AI growth - WisBusiness

Cybersecurity investments are on the rise worldwide as companies navigate the uncertain waters of AI adoption, according to a recent survey of senior tech leaders by Milwaukee-based ManpowerGroup. The company's 'Scaling AI Securely' report, released through its Experis brand, found that 78% of surveyed tech leaders are increasing cybersecurity spending.

While AI and machine learning were identified as important technical skills by 37% of respondents, cybersecurity was ranked higher at 46%, reflecting growing emphasis on threat readiness. However, the percentage of those whose risk strategy aligns with cybersecurity readiness has decreased from 77% to 72% compared to last year's survey.

AI as Attack Surface

Report authors describe AI as the 'new enterprise attack surface,' arguing strong cybersecurity should be seen as a necessary condition for broader AI adoption. As AI becomes more integrated into business processes, companies need to protect their models, training data, prompts, integration methods, and cloud environments.

A weakness in any one layer can affect the reliability of the entire workflow.

AI Integration Challenges

Despite 66% of respondents reporting increased AI investment, only 9% say the technology is 'fully integrated' into their strategy and operations. Another 19% indicate they're scaling AI more broadly, while about a third report 'active integration' into some business aspects. Thirty percent are still researching and running AI pilots, with just 10% having not begun exploring AI integration.

The survey, conducted by Reputation Leaders LLC between January 28 and March 4, included 1,930 senior technology leaders across 12 countries, including chief information officers and chief technology officers overseeing IT budgets and hiring.