Leadership Trust in AI and Security Splits by Role and Region

A new report from AXIS Capital reveals that executives are preparing for a growing number of cyber threats that now rely on artificial intelligence.

Based on a survey of 500 CEOs and CISOs across the U.S. and U.K., the research uncovers differences between regions and executive roles on AI’s benefits, risks, and readiness.

Among the findings, 82% of organizations plan to increase cybersecurity budgets, yet 75% expect to reduce headcount due to AI-driven efficiency. Meanwhile, while most U.S. executives express strong confidence in AI’s role in cybersecurity, U.K. leaders remain far more skeptical regarding preparedness and trust in AI tools.

Why It Matters: Executives are making long-term decisions based on their beliefs that AI will affect cyber defense. If trust in AI tools is misplaced or if preparation is inadequate, organizations could face more damage during cyber incidents. The difference in views between decision-makers could delay important investments or leave vulnerabilities in place.

• AI-Driven Cyberattacks Ranked as the Top Threat Over the Next Year: According to the report, 25.2% of all respondents chose AI attacks as their leading concern, placing it above identity theft (18.0%) and supply chain compromise (16.6%). Concern about AI-based threats was higher in the U.K., where 29.6% of respondents identified it as the top issue. In contrast, only 20.8% of U.S. executives did the same. This gap suggests that regional experiences or policies may influence the level of concern leaders express.

• Trust in AI Cybersecurity Tools Varies by Role and Country: In the United States, 82.6% of CEOs said they personally trust AI tools to assist with cybersecurity decisions, compared to just 49.6% of their U.K. counterparts. Among CISOs, the numbers drop slightly, with 83.0% expressing trust in the U.S. and only 37.0% in the U.K. These findings show that many U.K. leaders continue to question whether AI tools are reliable or tested enough for critical cybersecurity functions.

• The Most Concerning AI-Related Risks Are Not the Same for All Executives: CEOs were most concerned about data leakage, with 28.7% choosing it as their top risk. CISOs, however, ranked the unauthorized use of AI tools by employees, or shadow AI, as their top issue at 27.2%. This difference highlights how CEOs are thinking about external threats and business exposure, while CISOs are focusing more on internal controls and employee behavior that could bypass security teams.

• Increased Cybersecurity Spending and Job Reductions: Nearly 82% of respondents said they expect to increase their cybersecurity budgets over the next 12 months. At the same time, 75.2% said they are likely to reduce cybersecurity headcount because of expected productivity gains from using AI. This means companies are placing more financial resources into tools and platforms, while reducing the number of people managing them.

• Confidence in Cyber Readiness Is Much Higher in the U.S. Than in the U.K.: In the U.S., 94.9% of CEOs said their company is prepared to contain a major cyberattack, and 92.9% of CISOs agreed. In the U.K., only 70.7% of CEOs and 81.9% of CISOs said the same. The gap was wider when respondents were asked about their ability to defend against AI-driven threats specifically. Just 44% of U.K. respondents said they were prepared for AI-related attacks, while 84.8% of U.S. respondents felt ready.

Go Deeper -> AI Driving New Cyber Risk Landscape: AXIS Survey Compares CEO and CISO Views on AI’s Promise Versus its Unprecedented Risks – AXIS

AI-driven cyber threats push spending plans – AXIS – Insurance Business