To understand how organizations are approaching cybersecurity investment in the age of AI, Exabeam partnered with Sapio Research to survey 750 IT decision-makers responsible for security across 12 countries. The researchfocused on 2026 budget planning, AI adoption strategies, investment justification challenges, and how organizations are measuring the value of their security programs.
The findings reveal that cybersecurity budgets are surging heading into 2026, with 95% of organizations increasing security spending and 74% reporting double-digit growth. Yet rather than building larger teams, organizations are channeling investments into AI-driven transformation that’s fundamentally reshaping how security operations function, how resources are deployed, and how value is measured.
At the center of this shift lies a critical challenge: AI and automation are simultaneously the top driver of budget increases (44%) and the investments most at risk if budgets tighten (also 44%). Security leaders face mounting pressure to adopt AI quickly, yet many struggle to articulate its business value to boards and executive stakeholders. The result is an industry racing ahead on transformation while falling behind on measurement, communication, and strategic alignment.
