Artificial intelligence has become firmly embedded in security operations, but concerns about how the technology is governed are increasingly concentrated among senior security leaders, according to new research commissioned by cyber security firm Rapid7.
The survey of 500 security professionals, conducted by Omnia, found security leaders were 1.6 times more likely than operational security managers to express strong concern about how AI vendors handle their organisation’s security data.
Among organisations already using AI in production, 97 per cent reported a positive impact on security operations, while 98 per cent said AI helps reduce alert fatigue. A further 92 per cent agreed that human oversight remains essential, reinforcing the view that AI is being used to augment rather than replace security analysts.
AI is also influencing how organisations assess managed security services, with 86 per cent of respondents saying that managed detection and response providers that integrate AI have an advantage over traditional MDR services.
Rapid7's chief product and technology officer Dejan Decklich said security teams had largely moved beyond questioning whether AI belongs in the SOC.
“Organisations want AI that helps analysts move faster and work more effectively, but they also expect transparency, accountability, and human expertise to remain central to security operations,” Decklich said.
The research – based on a global survey of 500 security professionals – found AI is already being used to reduce alert fatigue, automate repetitive tasks, and improve analyst productivity.
However, executives are taking a broader view of the technology than frontline teams. Alongside concerns about vendors handling sensitive security data, respondents identified transparency into AI decision-making, visibility into model performance, and strong data privacy protections as key expectations for AI providers.
Omdia principal analyst Dave Gruber said trust will increasingly determine the next stage of enterprise AI adoption.
“Security leaders increasingly want solutions that combine AI-driven efficiency with transparency, governance, and human expertise,” Gruber said.
You can read the full report here.
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