ISACA surveyed professionals about their concerns regarding AI cyber threats.
More than half of European IT and cybersecurity professionals fear that AI-driven attacks and deepfakes will cause the most problems in 2026, according to new research from ISACA.
Not Well Prepared
Barely 14 percent of respondents believe their organization is “very well prepared” for the risks of generative AI. The vast majority (82%) do not feel sufficiently informed about new threats such as AI-driven phishing and social engineering. In addition to AI, complex regulations (38%), vulnerabilities in the
Although AI worries respondents, they also see the power of the technology. Generative AI and large language models (61%) are cited as the most important trends that will influence work in 2026, followed by machine learning (57%). At the same time, almost 60 percent consider AI-driven social engineering to be the biggest threat to companies.
Not Hiring New Talent
According to ISACA, investing in training and digital trust roles remains crucial to ensuring business continuity. Yet, 27 percent of companies say they have no plans to recruit additional cybersecurity professionals next year.
“AI is both the greatest opportunity and the greatest threat of our time,” says Chris Dimitriadis at the ISACA Europe Conference, Chief Global Strategy Officer at ISACA. “Many companies embrace the potential of AI but remain underprepared for the risks.” He continues with an analogy: “We need to build a strong army that provides us with the right defense for digital ecosystems, to build digital resilience and to help other countries innovate their digital technology in a safe way.”
Regulation as Opportunity
It is striking that 79 percent of respondents believe that stricter laws strengthen digital trust, and more than half (53%) expect that they can also stimulate business growth. ISACA sees regulations as an opportunity to innovate and build digital resilience in the long term.