If you’ve been working in the technology space for any length of time, you’ve undoubtedly heard about the rising importance of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). But what can these tools really do for you? More specifically, what kinds of benefits do they offer for cybersecurity and business operations?
If you’re not so sure, you’re not alone. As it turns out, although 96% of global IT decision-makers have adopted AI/ML-based cybersecurity tools, nearly 7 in 10 admit they’re not sure what these technologies do.
We surveyed 800 global IT decision-makers across the U.S., U.K., Japan, and Australia/New Zealand about their thoughts on AI and ML in cybersecurity. The report highlighted a number of interesting (and contradictory) findings, all of which indicated a general confusion about these tools and whether or not they make a difference for the businesses who use them. Additionally, nearly 3 out of 4 respondents (74%) agreed that, as long as their protection keeps them safe from cybercriminals, they really don’t care if it uses AI/ML.
Here’s a recap of key findings based on responses from all 4 regions.
- 91% say they understand and research their security tools, and specifically look for ones that use AI/ML.
- Yet 68% say that, although their tools claim to use AI/ML, they aren’t sure what that means.
- 84% think their business has all it needs to successfully stop AI/ML-based cyberattacks.
- But 86% believe they could be doing more to prevent cyberattacks.
- 72% say it is very important that cybersecurity advertising mention the use of AI/ML.
- However, 70% of respondents believe cybersecurity vendors’ marketing is intentionally deceptive about their AI/ML-based services.
AI and ML matter because automation matters
As we’ve all had to adjust to “the new normal”, IT professionals have had to tackle a variety of challenges. Not only have they had to figure out how to support a massive shift to working from home, but they also have to deal with the onslaught of opportunistic online scams and other cyberattacks that have surged amidst the chaos around COVID-19.
With all of us working to adapt to these new working conditions, it’s become clear tools that enable automation and productivity are pretty important. That’s where I want to highlight AI and ML. In addition to how AI/ML-based cybersecurity can drastically accelerate threat detection—and even predict shifts and emerging threat sources—these technologies can also make your workforce more efficient, more effective, and more confident.
While many of our survey respondents weren’t sure if AI/ML benefits their cybersecurity strategy, a solid percentage saw notable improvements in workforce efficiency after implementing these tools. Let’s go over those numbers.
- 42% reported an increase in worker productivity
- 39% saw increases in automated tasks
- 39% felt they had more time for training, learning new skills, and other tasks
- 38% felt more effective in their jobs
- 37% reported a decrease in human error
As you can see, the benefits of AI and ML aren’t just hype, and they extend well beyond the cybersecurity gains. Real numbers around productivity, automation, time savings, and efficacy are pretty compelling at the best of times, let alone when we’re dealing with sudden and drastic shifts to the ways we conduct business. That’s why I can’t stress the importance of these technologies enough—not only in your security strategy, but across your entire toolset.
Where to learn more
Ultimately, AI and ML-based tools can help businesses of all sizes become more resilient against cyberattacks—not to mention increase automation and operational efficiencies—but it’s important to understand them better to fully reap the benefits they offer.
While there’s clearly still a lot of confusion about what these tools do, I think we’re going to see a continuation of the upward trend in AI/ML adoption. That’s why it’s important that IT decision-makers have the resources to educate themselves about the best ways to implement these tools, and also look to vendors who have the historical knowledge and expertise in the space to guide them.
“Realistically, we can’t expect to stop sophisticated attacks if more than half of IT decision makers don’t understand AI/ML-based cybersecurity tools. We need to do better. That means more training and more emphasis not only on our tools and their capabilities, but also on our teams’ ability to use them to their best advantage.”
– Hal Lonas, SVP and CTO for SMB and Consumer at OpenText.
For further details about how businesses around the world are using AI and ML, their plans for cybersecurity spending, and use cases, download a copy of the full AI/ML report.
And if you still aren’t sure about AI/ML-based cybersecurity, I encourage you to read our white paper, Demystifying AI in Cybersecurity, to gain a better understanding of the technology, myth vs. reality, and how it benefits the cybersecurity industry.
