NTT DATA flagged a misalignment among C-Suite leaders when it comes to business goals and operational readiness for generative AI deployment.
This is from a report that is based on an NTT DATA survey of more than 2,300 senior generative AI decision makers, comprising 1,500 C-Suite leaders across 34 countries.
Nearly all (99%) C-Suite executives are planning further generative AI investments over the next two years, with 67% of CEOs planning significant commitments.
In parallel, 95% of CIOs and CTOs report that generative AI has already driven, or will drive, greater cybersecurity investments, with organisations ranking improved security as one of the top three business benefits realised from generative AI deployment in the last 12 months.
Yet, even with this optimism, there is a notable disconnect between strategic ambitions and operational execution with nearly half of CISOs (45%) expressing negative sentiments toward generative AI adoption.
More than half (54%) of CISOs say internal guidelines or policies on generative AI responsibility are unclear, yet only 20% of CEOs share the same concern. NTT DATA said this revealed a stark gap in executive alignment.
Despite feeling cautious about the deployment of generative AI, security teams still acknowledge its business value. In fact, 81% of senior IT security leaders with negative sentiments still agree generative AI will boost efficiency and impact the bottom-line.
NTT DATA’s research further reveals a critical gap between leadership’s vision and the capabilities of their teams. While 97% of CISOs identify as decision makers on generative AI, 69% acknowledge that their teams lack the necessary skills to work with the technology.
In addition, only 38% of CISOs say their generative AI and cybersecurity strategies are aligned compared to 51% of CEOs.
Adding to the complexity, 72% of organisations surveyed still lack a formal generative AI usage policy and just 24% of CISOs strongly agree that their organisation has a robust framework for balancing risk with value creation.
Beyond internal misalignment, 88% of security leaders said legacy infrastructure is greatly affecting business agility and generative AI readiness, with modernising IoT, 5G and edge computing identified as essential for future progress.
To navigate these obstacles, 64% of CISOs are prioritising co-innovation with strategic IT partners rather than relying on standalone AI solutions. Notably, security leaders’ top criteria when assessing generative AI technology partners is end-to-end generative AI service offerings.
“As organisations accelerate generative AI adoption, cybersecurity must be embedded from the outset to reinforce resilience. While CEOs champion innovation, ensuring seamless collaboration between cybersecurity and business strategy is critical to mitigating emerging risks,” said Sheetal Mehta, SVP and global head of cybersecurity at NTT DATA.
