TL;DR
AI has officially taken center stage in cybersecurity. Vendors pitch “AI-powered” tools. Boards are asking about AI strategies. Attackers are already using it.
The leadership challenge: Is AI a strategic investment that improves security ROI — or just another budget sink fueled by hype?
This issue breaks down:
Where AI is already delivering measurable value.
Where the hype still outweighs results.
Practical frameworks to guide executive decisions on AI adoption.
Prompts you can use today to cut through vendor noise.
Why Leaders Should Care?
Market Pressure: Every vendor now markets “AI-powered” tools.
Board Pressure: Directors are asking CISOs, “What’s our AI strategy?”
Threat Pressure: Adversaries are faster, smarter, and more adaptive with AI.
Executives risk overspending on hype or underinvesting in efficiency if they don’t evaluate AI with clear business lenses.
Key Numbers Executives Should Know
Trend #1: Employees use AI
42% of security professionals knowingly use AI against company policy.
More than half of the U.S. workforce (52%) is willing to break policy if AI makes their job easier.
35% of C-suite executives said they have submitted proprietary company information so AI could complete a task for them.
Read the Insider AI Threat Report by CalypsoAI here.
Trend #2: 95% of businesses do not see ROI on GenAI
$30–40 billion are invested in enterprise GenAI
95% of organizations are getting zero return
Only 5% produced rapid revenue acceleration or noticeable operational improvements
Read the MIT NANDA State of AI in Business Report here.
Translation: AI is everywhere — but measurable returns are rare.
Where AI Delivers Value Today?
Log Analysis & Triage — AI filters noise and accelerates SOC investigations.
Anomaly Detection — Helps spot unusual login behaviors or data flows faster.
Automating Routine Tasks — AI handles Tier 1 SOC tickets, freeing analysts.
Fraud & Phishing Detection — Identifying suspicious messages at scale.
Where AI Is Still Hype
“Self-healing” autonomous networks
End-to-end predictive breach prevention
Fully automated risk assessments
Instant AI Value: Prompts for Leaders
Prompt 1: ROI Framework “You are a CISO preparing a board update. Create a cost/benefit analysis of adopting AI in security operations. Include efficiency gains, false-positive reduction, and long-term ROI.”
Prompt 2: Vendor Due Diligence “You are a procurement officer. Write 10 due diligence questions for a vendor claiming their product is ‘AI-powered.’ Focus on explainability, data protection, and measurable outcomes.”
These can be dropped into ChatGPT (or any LLM) today to generate ready-to-use frameworks for leadership discussions.
Quick Leadership Actions
Ask your CISO for a 12-month “AI in Security” roadmap (not just vision slides).
Require vendor explainability — no black-box AI without accountability.
Pilot AI where cost savings are measurable (SOC triage, anomaly detection).
Track new risks from AI adoption itself — data leakage, shadow AI, and lack of oversight.
Final Word
AI will not replace your people — but it will reshape your teams and budgets. The winners won’t be those who chase every shiny “AI-powered” tool.
They’ll be leaders who:
Anchor AI in business value
Demand measurable ROI
Build responsible adoption frameworks
Don’t let hype or fear dictate your AI strategy. Lead with value. Measure relentlessly. Build resilience.
Stay resilient,
The Resilience Brief