New Delhi: A new report by NTT DATA has exposed a growing divide between CEOs and CISOs on the risks and readiness of generative AI (GenAI) adoption, with concerns mounting over inadequate security frameworks and legacy infrastructure.
The report, titled “The AI Security Balancing Act: From Risk to Innovation”, surveyed over 2,300 senior GenAI decision-makers, including 1,500 C-suite executives from 34 countries. While most top-level leaders are optimistic about GenAI’s potential, a large section of cybersecurity heads are raising red flags about operational readiness and governance.
Nearly all C-suite leaders (99%) plan to increase GenAI investments in the next two years, with 67% of CEOs indicating large-scale commitments. In contrast, 45% of Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) hold negative views on GenAI adoption, citing unresolved security concerns and unclear internal policies.
The data also points to a stark gap in perception: 54% of CISOs say GenAI guidelines are unclear in their organizations, compared to only 20% of CEOs sharing this concern. This disconnect highlights the lack of alignment between business strategy and risk management.
Despite identifying as key decision-makers, 69% of CISOs admit their teams lack the skills required to effectively deploy GenAI. Only 38% believe their cybersecurity and GenAI strategies are aligned, compared to 51% of CEOs.
Furthermore, 72% of surveyed organizations still do not have a formal GenAI usage policy, and just 24% of CISOs strongly agree their enterprise has a solid framework for balancing innovation with security.
Legacy systems remain a significant obstacle. About 88% of security leaders say aging infrastructure limits business agility and undermines GenAI integration efforts. Areas like IoT, 5G, and edge computing require urgent upgrades to support secure AI deployments.
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