Security teams are dealing with pressures tied to AI use, geopolitical instability, and expanding cybercrime that reach beyond technical controls, according to findings from the World Economic Forum’s Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2026.
AI drives risk growth and defensive change
Respondents view AI as accelerating change on both the defensive and offensive sides of cybersecurity. New AI driven tools help security teams process alerts, detect phishing, and respond to incidents faster. AI adoption also introduces weaknesses tied to data exposure, model misuse, and automation errors.
Security leaders report rising concern about vulnerabilities created by generative AI systems. Data leakage and misuse of proprietary information rank among the top risks tied to AI adoption. Attackers are using AI to scale social engineering, create convincing impersonation content, and automate reconnaissance.
“The weaponization of AI, persistent geopolitical friction and systemic supply chain risks are upending traditional cyber defences. For C-suite leaders, the imperative is clear; they must pivot from traditional cyber protection to cyber defence powered by advanced and agentic AI to be resilient against AI-driven threat actors,” said Paolo Dal Cin, global lead, Accenture Cybersecurity.
Organizations are responding by adding structure to AI deployment. More teams review the security of AI tools before use, and some have moved toward recurring assessments instead of one-time checks. Progress remains uneven. Many organizations still deploy AI without formal security review, leaving gaps as adoption continues.
AI is embedded in many security operations. Use cases include email security, anomaly detection, and behavioral monitoring. Skills shortages slow broader adoption, especially where teams lack experience managing AI systems or validating automated outputs.
Geopolitics moves closer to cyber operations
Geopolitical instability continues to influence cybersecurity planning. Many organizations factor nation-state activity, infrastructure disruption, and disinformation into their risk assessments. These concerns affect vendor decisions, intelligence sharing, and investment priorities.
Large organizations report the greatest impact from geopolitical conditions. Global operations increase exposure to sanctions, regional conflicts, and regulatory divergence. These organizations are more likely to adjust strategy, expand threat intelligence efforts, and engage with government partners.
Confidence in national preparedness for major cyber incidents remains uneven. Respondents in some regions express strong trust in public-sector readiness, while others report declining confidence. Public-sector organizations report lower confidence in their own resilience, particularly when protecting critical infrastructure.
Organizations report reduced security spending tied to economic and political uncertainty, even as threat levels remain high. This leaves security teams managing expanded risk with limited flexibility.
Fraud reaches executives and households
Cyber-enabled fraud has become one of the most visible risks described in the study. Respondents report personal or professional exposure to fraud over the past year. Common methods include phishing, payment fraud, and identity theft.
CEOs ranked cyber-enabled fraud and phishing as their leading cyber risk for 2026, surpassing ransomware. CISOs continue to prioritize ransomware and supply chain disruption, reflecting different operational pressures.
The study links the growth of fraud to advances in AI. Automated tools allow criminals to scale scams, localize content, and imitate trusted voices with greater precision. This increases exposure across regions and demographics.
Law enforcement agencies expanded cooperation during 2025, leading to several coordinated disruptions of cybercrime infrastructure. These actions demonstrate stronger international coordination, though the scale of criminal activity continues to grow.
Resilience shows improvement under pressure
Organizations report gradual improvement in cyber resilience. More respondents say their resilience meets baseline expectations compared to previous years, and a growing share believe it exceeds minimum requirements.
Major cyber incidents during 2025 caused operational disruption across sectors, including retail, manufacturing, and infrastructure. These events show ongoing exposure even among organizations that report confidence in their preparedness.
Supply chain dependence remains a key concern. Highly resilient organizations focus heavily on third party risk, supplier assessments, and security involvement in procurement. Less resilient organizations cite funding constraints and skills shortages as primary barriers to progress.
Legacy systems also continue to affect resilience. Many organizations operate hybrid environments where new technologies coexist with older infrastructure, increasing complexity for security teams.
Inequity widens across regions and sectors
The study show ongoing inequity in cyber capability. Many organizations outside North America and Europe report limited access to skilled personnel. These gaps affect AI adoption, incident response, and participation in collaborative defense efforts.
“Developments in AI are reshaping multiple domains, including cybersecurity. When deployed responsibly, these technologies can strengthen cyber defences by supporting faster detection and response. But if misused or poorly governed, they can also introduce serious risks, from data leaks to cyberattacks,” said Josephine Teo, Minister for Digital Development and Information and Minister-in-Charge of Cybersecurity & Smart Nation Group, Singapore. “Governments therefore need a forward-looking and collaborative approach to ensure AI enhances cyber resilience while minimizing risks that increasingly transcend borders.”