AI threats expose CISO preparedness gap

A new study from LevelBlue reveals a widening gap between CISO confidence in core security operations and preparedness for AI-driven threats, Security Brief United Kingdom reports.

The firm's CISO Persona Spotlight report found only 53% of security leaders feel ready to counter AI-enabled adversaries, even as 45% expect deepfake or AI-powered attacks within a year. While roughly 60% rate themselves highly in resilience and operational leadership, alignment with business strategy remains uneven: just 45% said cyber plans match risk appetite, and 37% embed security budgets at project inception. Governance challenges persist, with 60% citing limited board understanding of cyber resilience and many pointing to unclear ownership.

Supply chain risk also appears underweighted, as only 31% see it as their top exposure. Still, executive attitudes are evolving, with over half reporting stronger enterprise-wide accountability. Chief Security & Trust Officer Kory Daniels said CISOs now enable growth but must close gaps in AI readiness, supplier oversight and executive alignment to unlock full business value.