CEO and CISO Views on Risk, Reward, and Readiness

AI is reshaping cyber risk at unprecedented speed, creating new opportunities while exposing new vulnerabilities. This research report, a collaboration between the AXIS Global Cyber and Marketing and Communications divisions, draws on insights from 500 CEOs and CISOs in the United Kingdom and the United States. Conducted in late 2025, the study examines the tension between AI as a driver of innovation and its emergence as a new source of risk.

The findings highlight a preparedness paradox. While AI is changing how organizations defend themselves, it is also revealing sharp differences in how senior leaders assess their readiness. Although executives broadly agree that AI driven attacks represent the most significant emerging cyber threat, views diverge sharply on whether their organizations are equipped to respond.

Key takeaways:

• The preparedness paradox: Many executives express confidence in their ability to manage traditional cyberattacks, but that confidence declines significantly when AI driven threats are introduced. This gap is most pronounced in the United Kingdom, where fewer than half of respondents believe their organization could defend itself against AI driven cyber threats.
• The CEO and CISO trust gap: A measurable trust gap exists within the C suite. About 67.1% of CEOs say they trust AI tools to support cybersecurity decision making, compared with 58.6% of CISOs.
• Transatlantic divide: U.S. respondents are more bullish on AI adoption. Nearly 88.4% say they are confident AI will strengthen their cyber defenses over the next three years, compared with 55.3% of respondents in the United Kingdom.
• Reshaping resources: Optimism around AI driven productivity is influencing staffing decisions. About 75.2% of respondents say they are likely to reduce cybersecurity headcount as AI tools become more widely adopted.
• Top AI risks: Leaders cite data leakage at 23.2% and shadow AI, or the unsanctioned use of AI tools by employees, as the most significant AI related risks facing their organizations.

Special Thanks

We would like to thank our partner AXIS for hosting this thought-provoking session at Davos and for their partnership with Page in helping leaders define the future of resilience in the era of AI.