IBM Institute of Business Value recently published The CEO Guide To Generative AI: Cybersecurity, which is a part of a large series to guide business leaders on how they can implement emerging technologies like generative AI in critical business functions such as cybersecurity.
The guidelines were developed after surveying more than 200 business and security leaders. It provides some useful insights that can help guide your future strategy and set up your business to take full advantage of generative AI technology in cybersecurity.
In this article, Anti-Dos will highlight seven key findings from IBM’s CEO guide to generative AI in cybersecurity.
Table of Contents
7 Key Findings From IBM’s CEO Guide To Generative AI In Cybersecurity
1. Secure or Deploy: Which Comes First?
2. Generative AI is a Workforce Multiplier
3. AI Spending is Skyrocketing
4. Streamlined Access Management
6. Security Risks are Still There
7. Generative AI Can Positively Impact Talent Retention
7 Key Findings From IBM’s CEO Guide To Generative AI In Cybersecurity
Here are seven key findings from IBM’s CEO guide to generative AI in cybersecurity.
Secure or Deploy: Which Comes First?
Whenever a new technology comes out, some businesses try to jump on the bandwagon immediately to gain the first mover advantage. Generative AI is no different. Just like every other technology, generative also has its downsides. Security is one of them.
Business leaders are still divided on whether they should first secure the generative AI first and deploy it later or the other way around. IBM survey shows that 94% of respondents have prioritized security over deployment while 69% put deployment over security. This clearly shows that security still trumps deployment for most of the business leaders and rightly so. They don’t want to rush deployment to become a victim of cybersecurity attacks and data breaches later.
Generative AI is a Workforce Multiplier
With a massive talent gap in the cybersecurity industry, businesses are struggling to fill in cybersecurity positions. In fact, there are millions of unfilled cybersecurity positions. This puts extra pressure on your understaffed and overworked cybersecurity teams. Generative is a lifesaver for such cybersecurity teams.
According to an IBM survey, 92% of top business executives are of the opinion that generative AI will not replace but will augment their cybersecurity team. It can help them fill in that talent gap in the cybersecurity industry. By automating mundane tasks, it can not only reduce the burden off the shoulders of your cybersecurity team but can also free up their time so they can focus on high value tasks. This can also save them from work related stress and employee burnout. As a result, they are more satisfied at work and less likely to switch jobs and change career paths.
AI Spending is Skyrocketing
The growing popularity of generative AI as a technology has forced businesses to pour money into it. IBM research shows that AI spending will increase by 116% by 2025 as compared to 2021. Not only that, 84% of business leaders said that they will prioritize AI powered cybersecurity solutions in the future over conventional cybersecurity solutions. These statistics clearly point towards a growing trend for AI investments in years to come. Don’t expect this trend to die anytime soon as it will continue towards its upward trajectory as more businesses jump on the generative AI train.
Streamlined Access Management
Probably the most surprising fact that came out of the IBM survey is that 52% of survey respondents said that generative AI took the pain out of user access management and simplified permission management. It even helped with resource provisioning throughout the organization.
This was a huge departure from the common belief that generative AI can put your data at risk and can attract attackers towards sensitive business data and you should never expose your sensitive information to a large language model. This goes to show that the perception of generative AI is slowly improving especially in the eyes of business leaders.
Faster Threat Detection
One of the biggest reasons why businesses are implementing generative AI in cybersecurity is that it can help them identify and respond to threats quickly. IBM survey findings agree with this notion as well. 47% of CEOs said that generative AI not only helps them detect threats faster but also enables them to respond to them quickly.
This is crucial in an age where timing plays a crucial role. Any small delay on your part can give threat actors enough time to take full advantage of the opportunity and fulfill their malicious desires. On the flipside, quick identification and remediation can put you one step ahead of the cyberattackers.
Security Risks are Still There
Even though 69% of business leaders think that deploying generative AI before securing it is a good option, they are still worried about the data breaches and cybersecurity attacks. In fact, 96% of survey respondents said that adopting generative AI makes their businesses more vulnerable to data breaches. They think that they are more likely to become a victim of data breach after implementing generative AI within the next three years. This goes to show that there is still a sense of fear when it comes to generative AI security. Despite rushing to adopt generative AI, they are worried about the security consequences of the generative AI adoption. That is why businesses are investing in the best DDoS protection services.
Generative AI Can Positively Impact Talent Retention
As mentioned before, automation can reduce the burden off the shoulders of your cybersecurity teams. It can prove to be a breath of fresh air and a sigh of relief for your cybersecurity team. In fact, most cybersecurity professionals tend to change careers and switch jobs due to heavy workloads.
The high employee turnover rate can be a huge concern for businesses who are already struggling to find the right cybersecurity talent for their business due to massive talent shortfall. IBM surveys have some good news for you. 52% of CEOs said that implementing generative AI will have a positive impact on employee retention.
What did you learn from IBM’s CEO guide to generative AI in cybersecurity? Share it with us in the comments section below.
