Agentic AI is a priority for 87 percent of security teams

Cybersecurity Divide Widens as AI Arms Race Intensifies, Report Finds

A sweeping new global survey of over 1,200 cybersecurity professionals paints a stark picture of the current threat landscape: defenders are increasingly outpaced by adversaries, and the gap is growing faster than many organizations are prepared to address.

The comprehensive report from Ivanti, a leader in unified IT and cybersecurity solutions, highlights a rapidly evolving battlefield where artificial intelligence is emerging as both a weapon and a shield. While 87% of security teams now prioritize “agentic AI”—autonomous systems capable of detecting, analyzing, and responding to threats without human intervention—the operationalization of these tools remains severely limited.

According to the findings, security professionals are 2.4 times more likely to believe that defenders are using AI as effectively as—or more effectively than—threat actors today. Looking ahead, that confidence surges to 5.5 times over the next 24 months, suggesting a strong belief in the long-term potential of AI-driven defense mechanisms. However, the report underscores a critical bottleneck: while the optimism is high, the actual deployment and integration of AI and automation in cybersecurity operations are lagging.

“The cybersecurity landscape is undergoing a seismic shift,” said Jeff Abbott, CEO of Ivanti. “Organizations are acutely aware of the power of AI, but translating that awareness into actionable, scalable defense strategies is where the real challenge lies.”

The study also reveals that nearly all respondents acknowledge the growing sophistication of cyberattacks, with ransomware, phishing, and zero-day exploits leading the charge. Yet, only a fraction of organizations have fully integrated AI-driven tools into their security operations centers (SOCs). This disconnect between perception and practice is creating a dangerous vulnerability, as threat actors continue to leverage AI for faster, more targeted, and evasive attacks.

Experts warn that without a significant acceleration in AI adoption and operationalization, the cybersecurity community risks falling further behind. “The defenders’ window of opportunity is narrowing,” said Dr. Chase Cunningham, a leading cybersecurity analyst. “AI isn’t just an advantage anymore—it’s becoming a necessity. The teams that fail to adapt will find themselves overwhelmed.”

The report calls for urgent action, urging organizations to invest in AI training, automate routine security tasks, and foster collaboration between human analysts and machine learning systems. It also emphasizes the need for a cultural shift within security teams, moving from reactive to proactive defense strategies.

As the cyber arms race intensifies, one thing is clear: the future of cybersecurity will be defined by those who can harness the full potential of AI—not just in theory, but in practice. The question now is whether defenders can close the gap before it’s too late.

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