You’d be hard-pressed to find a cybersecurity professional who doesn’t recognize the benefits of AI, or who isn’t using AI. Still, likewise, nearly all companies are moving forward with trepidation, expressing concern about AI Agents’ potential to negatively impact cybersecurity, new research from Darktrace shows. Almost all (96%) of the 1,500 cybersecurity professionals surveyed for Darktrace’s annual 2026 State of AI Cybersecurity Report understand that AI amps up the speed and efficiency of their work. And 77% have taken the next step, embedding generative AI into their security stacks. More than three-quarters (77%) of security professionals reported that generative AI is now embedded in their security stack. And nearly all (92%) say that AI-powered threats are compelling them to make significant upgrades to their defenses, potentially quelling the concerns of more than half of respondents who say they aren’t prepared to defend against those threats. A whopping 87% had acknowledged that AI has improved outcomes for malware.

Full report : Navigating the AI Revolution in Cybersecurity: Risks, Rewards, and Evolving Roles.