Issue Uneven adoption of AI for cyber defence

Summary

The report suggests AI could strengthen cyber security by improving system resilience and helping to identify cyber criminals. However, if AI for defence is adopted unevenly, some businesses could remain more exposed to AI-enabled attacks. In 2024 the National Cyber Security Centre assessed that AI would almost certainly raise the volume and impact of attacks over the next two years, while its effect would be uneven. Today 44% of UK private sector businesses lack even basic cyber security expertise, so gaps in defensive capability already exist. The report points out that businesses with too little investment in cyber defence and training are more exposed to breaches and their costs.