The research examines differing views among CEOs and chief information security officers on the role of artificial intelligence in cyber risk and security preparedness.
Axis Capital Holdings Limited released a survey showing how AI is reshaping perceptions of cyber risk among corporate leaders in the United States and the United Kingdom. The study, which polled 500 chief executive officers (CEOs) and chief information security officers (CISOs), highlights contrasting views on AI’s potential benefits and risks in cybersecurity.
The survey asked executives at companies with at least 250 employees about AI’s impact on cyber defenses and emerging threats. It found that AI-driven attacks, including deepfakes, social engineering, shadow AI, and advanced ransomware, are widely seen as major new risks.
Nearly 82% of respondents said they plan to increase cybersecurity budgets over the next 12 months, and 75.2% said they are likely to reduce cybersecurity headcounts as productivity gains from AI tools improve efficiency.
CEOs generally expressed greater confidence in AI’s cybersecurity value than CISOs. By a margin of 29.7% to 19.5%, fewer CISOs said they believe AI will strengthen their company’s cyber defenses, while 67.1% of CEOs said they trust AI tools to assist in cybersecurity decisions compared with 58.6% of CISOs.
“There are differing views between CEOs’ strategic optimism and CISOs’ security prudence,” said Lori Bailey, Head of Global Cyber and Technology at AXIS. “While it is now commonplace for CEOs to champion AI as a catalyst for innovation and efficiency, CISOs tend to see it as a new frontier of exposure and control.”
The survey also found regional differences: 85% of U.S. executives reported feeling prepared for AI-related threats, compared with 44% of U.K. executives. A higher share of U.S. CEOs also said they trust AI tools to support cybersecurity decisions than their U.K. counterparts.
The methodology outlined that responses were collected from October 22–29, 2025, by an independent firm, and included 138 U.S. CEOs, 112 U.S. CISOs, 123 U.K. CEOs, and 127 U.K. CISOs.