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Security Report · darktrace.com

Survey Finds Security Teams Increasingly Turn to AI Tools Against AI-Powered Threats

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Summary

A survey of more than 1,500 cybersecurity professionals found rising adoption priorities for AI-powered security tools, while 56% said they do not fully understand the AI techniques in their existing security stack.

Key points

  • The share of respondents who felt unprepared for AI-augmented threats fell from 60% at the end of 2023 to 45% a year later.
  • The share prioritizing AI-powered security tools rose from 58% in December 2023 to 64% in December 2024.
  • More than 95% agreed that AI-enhanced solutions improve their ability to combat advanced threats.
  • Respondents preferred integrated security platforms (88%), tools that enable proactive risk management (87%), and solutions that keep sensitive data in-house (84%).
  • Although familiarity with several AI techniques increased, knowledge of unsupervised machine learning declined.
  • Some 56% said they do not fully understand the AI techniques used in their existing security stack.

Article Details

Publisher
Darktrace
Report Period
December 2023–December 2024
Scope
Survey of cybersecurity professionals worldwide on preparedness for AI-powered threats, security priorities, preferences, and understanding of AI techniques.
Sample Size
More than 1,500 cybersecurity professionals; the article does not specify whether every reported finding used the full sample.
Key Statistics
  • The share of cybersecurity professionals who felt unprepared for AI-augmented threats fell from 60% at the end of 2023 to 45% twelve months later.
  • The share listing AI-powered security tools as a top priority rose from 58% in December 2023 to 64% in December 2024.
  • More than 95% of respondents agreed that AI-enhanced solutions improve their ability to combat advanced threats.
  • 88% of respondents preferred integrated security platforms over standalone tools.
  • 56% of respondents said they do not fully understand the AI techniques used in their existing security stack.
Recommendations
  • Enhance and optimize technology and processes in the SOC.
  • Improve cybersecurity awareness training and integration among existing cybersecurity solutions.
  • Adopt defensive AI to help address AI-powered cyber threats.