While 86% of organizations have expanded AI use for SecOps, only one-third of respondents could accurately define basic AI terms, highlighting a looming knowledge gap

Deep Instinct, the preemptive data security company built on the first and only AI-based deep learning framework for cybersecurity, today released the sixth edition of its Voice of SecOps Report, which delves into the growing influence of AI in business, with a focus on its impact on Security Operations (SecOps). While AI adoption is accelerating, the findings uncover a more complex reality: security teams are limited by knowledge gaps, inconsistent implementation, and mounting operational pressures as they face an increasingly treacherous, AI-driven threat landscape.

The research, “Cybersecurity & AI: Promises, Pitfalls​​ – and Prevention Paradise,” found that nearly three-quarters (72%) of organizations have revised their cybersecurity strategies over the past year due to AI, and a whopping 86% have increased their use of AI within SecOps. Despite the investments, two-thirds of respondents were confused about fundamental AI definitions, with 38% unable to differentiate between machine learning and deep learning – signaling an alarming knowledge gap in the industry.

Additional key findings from the report include the following:

AI-Powered Cyber Threats Drive a Focus on Prevention

As cybercriminals build and adopt AI tools, the nature and scale of attacks have drastically evolved and expanded. Nearly half (46%) of organizations experienced an uptick in targeted phishing attacks, while 43% reported deepfake impersonation attempts. Attacks on local or cloud storage were also a growing concern, cited as a top risk by 83% of respondents, second only to phishing (84%).

In response to these AI-powered attacks, 82% of organizations say they have shifted toward a prevention-first security strategy, with 64% noting a direct push from the C-suite to adopt more proactive defense measures.

Benefits of AI in Cybersecurity Roles Are Clear, Yet It Unexpectedly Contributes to Burnout

SecOps teams appear to be reaping the benefits of AI, with 76% stating it makes their roles easier while saving security teams an average of 12 hours per week on manual processes. However, while GenAI may be simplifying some aspects of SecOps workloads, nearly 70% of security professionals believe AI also contributes to burnout.

Regulatory complexity adds another layer of strain, with 32% citing difficulties in keeping up with increasing AI-related policies, and an additional 37% fearing AI-related regulations are a financial penalty waiting to happen.

Preemptive Data Security: The New Imperative

In the face of mounting threats, operational burnout, and AI confusion, preemptive data security – a subset of Gartner's recently introduced preemptive cybersecurity market category – offers a definitive path forward. By harnessing the power of deep learning to prevent threats before they execute, organizations will reduce risk, ease the burden on SecOps teams, and stay ahead of relentless adversaries.

“The traditional ‘detect and respond’ cybersecurity model is broken – it’s reactive, expensive, and no match for AI-powered threats,” said Lane Bess, CEO of Deep Instinct. “To win this fight, cybersecurity teams must shift from chasing threats to preventing them. Preemptive data security – powered by deep learning, the most advanced form of AI – is the only way for SecOps teams to regain control and stay ahead of adversaries.���

To get the full report and download past Voice of SecOps reports, please visit https://www.deepinstinct.com/voice-of-secops-reports. Then register for our webinar, Cybersecurity & AI: Promises, Pitfalls – and Prevention Paradise (2025 Voice of SecOps Research), to learn about the top findings from this year's report.

Survey Methodology

Sapio Research surveyed 500 senior cybersecurity experts from companies with 1000+ employees in the U.S. The interviews were conducted online in April 2025 using an email invitation and an online survey.

Respondents worked at organizations that operated in either financial services, technology, manufacturing, retail, healthcare, public sector, or critical infrastructure (such as telecoms, energy, utilities, and transportation). For this specific report, the C-suite is defined as those who hold chief, global, head of department, or director roles, while reports are those who hold a manager, administrator, analyst, team lead, or officer role.

About Deep Instinct

Deep Instinct, the first and only preemptive data security company built on a deep learning cybersecurity framework, prevents unknown threats in <20 milliseconds, 750X faster than the fastest ransomware can encrypt. Deep Instinct Data Security X (DSX) secures data at-rest or in-motion – across cloud, NAS, applications, and endpoints.

DSX Brain, Deep Instinct’s deep learning framework, prevents zero-day threats that no one else can find, with >99% accuracy and a <0.1% false positive rate. DIANNA, the DSX Companion, leverages GenAI to provide unparalleled explainability into unknown threats in <10 seconds.

For more, visit www.deepinstinct.com.

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