A new global survey highlights how the rapid integration of artificial intelligence is reshaping corporate priorities around information security funding. According to findings released by Kaspersky’s Internal Research Center, 41 percent of enterprises now cite AI adoption as the primary reason for increasing their IT security budgets.
Additional factors include the escalating financial impact of security breaches, the shift toward cloud-based systems, and the fallout from recent cyber incidents.
The research, which gathered responses from 1,800 IT and cybersecurity decision-makers and specialists across 18 countries and diverse sectors such as finance, manufacturing, retail, and technology, underscores growing unease about AI-related risks.
Nearly one in five organizations (19 percent) rank vulnerabilities tied to artificial intelligence among the most serious threats they face.
This places AI concerns just behind phishing attempts, noted by 22 percent of respondents, and widespread malware campaigns, cited by 20 percent.
Awareness of these issues appears particularly acute in the financial services, information technology, and government sectors, where digital assets hold especially high value and attract frequent targeting.
Beyond external threats, internal practices are also driving concern.
Many employees are independently using consumer-facing AI applications, including tools like ChatGPT and DeepSeek, for workplace tasks without full organizational oversight—a trend often labeled “Shadow AI.”
Almost a third of survey participants (31 percent) identified this uncontrolled usage as a notable risk, pointing to potential data exposure and compliance failures.
Organizational policies vary widely: 59 percent of companies allow third-party AI tools under specific constraints, such as bans on uploading sensitive company information or internal documents, while 23 percent grant broader access but pair it with training and security guidelines.
Despite these risks, AI uptake continues at a strong pace.
Fully 81 percent of organizations are either investigating or actively rolling out internal AI systems built on large language models, and 18 percent have already embedded these technologies into daily operations.
Companies that have moved forward with their own AI solutions most frequently point to three benefits: greater process efficiency, fewer human errors, and higher-quality outputs for clients.
Each of these advantages was selected by 59 percent of respondents who have adopted internal tools, illustrating a clear focus on competitive and operational gains.
Vladislav Tushkanov, Group Manager at Kaspersky’s AI Technology Research Center, noted that while businesses pursue AI to streamline workflows and cut routine tasks, related security challenges such as AI vulnerabilities and Shadow AI are rising in parallel.
He emphasized that comprehensive platforms incorporating advanced AI features can help lower overall costs by preventing incidents, accelerate response times, and improve team productivity without expanding headcount.
To address the emerging threat landscape, Kaspersky advises organizations to deploy integrated solutions offering real-time protection, visibility, investigation, and response capabilities.
Such systems leverage AI to automate processes, convert raw data into actionable insights, and support security teams more effectively.
Pairing these tools with detailed threat intelligence that uses machine learning and generative models for malware analysis and risk summaries can further strengthen defenses.
Enterprises seeking tailored advice on integrating advanced AI security features are encouraged to consult specialized guidance aligned with their specific environments.
These research findings illustrate a dual dynamic: organizations are investing more heavily in cybersecurity precisely because of AI’s expanding role, while simultaneously racing to harness the technology’s productivity benefits. Balancing tech breakthroughs with adequate controls will remain essential as adoption accelerates.