The Evolution of Cybersecurity Automation: Towards Human-Governed AI Execution
AI and Cybersecurity
2026 Annual Market Research Report
The Evolution of Cybersecurity Automation: Towards Human-Governed AI Execution
AI investment is surging. Human oversight remains central.
Based on a survey of 1,000 cybersecurity professionals across the US, UK, France, and Australia, this research report explores how organizations are putting AI to work in cybersecurity, and how they’re balancing faster execution with governance and accountability.
Key findings: 99.6% of respondents increased their AI cybersecurity investment over the past year, while 53% favor a human-in-the-loop approach to their overall AI cybersecurity strategy.
In this report, you’ll discover:
- How organizations are applying AI across detection, triage, and response
- Why many teams favor human-approved AI workflows over full autonomy
- Which security and operational outcomes leaders use to assess AI’s value
- How AI is changing analyst skills, governance roles, and the SOC workforce
