MSPs lead in AI security adoption over in-house teams, report finds

Managed service providers are outpacing in-house security teams in adopting and trusting artificial intelligence for cybersecurity, according to a new Cynet report covered by Channel Insider. Both groups, however, identify AI-powered phishing and social engineering as their most significant threats, indicating a growing reliance on MSPs for security solutions as cyberattacks become more automated.

The Cynet Global AI Security Readiness Report, surveying 1,600 individuals across nine countries, reveals that MSPs demonstrate higher adoption rates of AI security tools and express greater confidence in threat detection and response compared to internal security departments. AI-enabled phishing and social engineering were cited as top concerns by 39% of MSPs and 40% of in-house teams, followed closely by identity-based attacks. MSPs reported using AI tools in 60% of security functions, significantly more than the 44% reported by in-house teams, particularly in automated remediation and AI copilots.

Despite increased security budgets, some in-house teams still show hesitation towards AI adoption. Notably, in-house teams experienced a higher rate of security incidents (60%) in the past two years compared to MSP clients (22%), suggesting MSPs offer enhanced protection. Consequently, 59% of in-house teams plan to involve MSPs in deploying new AI-driven cybersecurity capabilities.

Source: Channel Insider