The vast majority (97.6%) of CEOs and senior managers of organisations in the UAE plan to increase their investments in AI for cybersecurity amid a continuing uptick in cyberattacks.

 

This is according to new research by Censuswide, commissioned by Palo Alto Networks.

 

The research, which included insights from 250 CEOs and senior managers from companies in the UAE between September 18 and 25, 2024, revealed that respondents saw a significant increase in attacks, with 63% reporting higher attacks compared to 2023, and 14% reporting the same level of attacks as 2023.

 

However, UAE businesses also appeared to be confident that they can protect their operations through investments in AI. 94% of respondents said that they were confident in the effectiveness of AI tools in detecting or mitigating cyber threats compared to traditional cybersecurity solutions.

 

90% of respondents had already implemented AI for cybersecurity, with 52% saying they had made extensive implementations, and 38% having made limited deployments.

 

Opinion was more mixed on the precise ways in which AI can most help UAE organisations to improve their cybersecurity posture, with 42% saying that AI would be most effective in boosting speed and efficiency through automation, 39% believing it would primarily aid threat detection, and 35% saying it would improve vulnerability management. 

 

“While it is reassuring to see that so many CEOs and business leaders in the UAE are keen to invest in AI to improve their security profile, it is imperative that organisations deploy AI in the right way and understand the importance of embracing a fully integrated approach with platformisation at its core,” said Ercan Aydin, Regional Vice President at Palo Alto Networks, Middle East and Africa (MEA). 

 

Fully integrated approach

“A fully integrated approach enables organisations to remove the confusion that often accompanies AI implementations, allowing them to fully leverage the power of AI to stay ahead of ever-changing threat dynamics while simplifying their security posture.”

 

The research revealed that while most business leaders surveyed in the UAE understand the importance of AI for cybersecurity, they still see barriers to investment, with cost (45%), complexity of integration (45%), uncertainty about ROI (41%), and a lack of clear business benefits (30%) cited as key concerns.

 

Moreover, leaders also have concerns over the potential implications of using the technology. For example, 50% of respondents were concerned about privacy issues, 48% worried about potential misuse of AI, 46% cited integration challenges as a concern, and 45% expressed concern over the cost.

 

Palo Alto Networks is showcasing its leading cybersecurity technology at Gitex Global 2024, with live demos of its best-in-class cybersecurity Precision AI, a proprietary, innovative AI system that brings together the power of machine learning, deep learning and generative AI to ensure real-time security and safety.--TradeArabia News Service