AI adoption in security has soared. But for many teams, manual work and burnout remain stubbornly high.
To understand why, and what security teams must do next, we partnered with Sapio research to survey more than 1,800 security leaders and practitioners worldwide for our Voice of Security 2026 report. We wanted to learn how teams are using AI and automation, how the role of security is evolving, and how professionals believe AI will impact their careers.
The data is revealing. Security teams are optimistic about AI’s potential, but foundational gaps are preventing many organizations from turning that potential into real impact.
Download the report to learn more, or read on for five key takeaways.
Board-level attention is increasing, but alignment is lagging
Security’s strategic profile is rising.
However, increased attention hasn’t translated into alignment. More than half (52%) of respondents say it’s very or extremely challenging to connect security priorities to broader business objectives, citing competition between business and risk goals, difficulty communicating value, and resource constraints as major barriers.
Security teams are expected to juggle a wide range of issues with seemingly equal importance, from strengthening cloud and data security, enhancing data privacy and protection, and improving threat detection and response capabilities. They have a critical role to play in protecting their organizations from risk and maintaining business resilience. However, without stronger alignment, clearer communication, and better visibility, proving impact remains challenging.
AI governance matters more than ever
AI and AI governance have become foundational to security work.
Half of the organizations surveyed already have a formalized AI policy in place, with another 42% saying it’s in progress. This will be crucial to helping teams prepare for the security challenges ahead. Respondents anticipate a mix of both external and internal threats in 2026, including data leakage through AI copilots and agents, third-party and supply chain risks, evolving regulations and governance requirements, and shadow AI.
Workloads remain high, even as AI adoption accelerates
Despite high levels of AI adoption, four out of five respondents (81%) say that security workloads have increased over the past year.
Our research shows that on average, teams spend almost half of their time (44%) on manual or repetitive tasks that could be automated.
Burnout remains rife, with 76% of security professionals reporting they experienced emotional exhaustion, reduced motivation or mental fatigue over the last 12 months. Heavy workloads and repetitive tasks are the key culprits behind this burnout.
This doesn’t just negatively impact morale. Manual work also creates more risk, from human errors to reduced capacity when threats arise.
Teams are optimistic about AI’s impact on their careers
Despite the pressure, optimism is high. A significant 86% of respondents say they feel positive about AI’s impact on their careers. Exposure to AI strengthens this confidence, with the data suggesting a correlation between greater experience with AI and the belief that AI will positively transform the job market.
The majority of respondents (81%) feel their team is prepared to reskill or hire for AI-related roles. AI literacy and prompt engineering emerge as the top new skills for security professionals in 2026, followed by cloud and infrastructure security and security automation. This paints a clear picture of where security roles are heading, with AI-driven, cloud-native, and compliance-first security becoming the norm.
Intelligent workflows are the missing layer
Security tech stacks continue to grow, and 73% expect to add new tools and capabilities over the coming year. For many respondents, their current ecosystems are far from optimal, creating challenges such as high maintenance costs, limited automation, and lack of integration.
To streamline their workflows and get the most from their tech stack, teams are turning to intelligent workflows.
Almost all security professionals (92%) say an intelligent workflow platform is highly valuable, fuelling higher productivity, faster response times, enhanced data accuracy, and stronger compliance.
What security teams need to succeed in 2026
Our research underscores just how much AI has changed the security landscape, creating both new risks and new opportunities. Intelligent workflows will quickly become a strategic differentiator, enabling teams to overcome resource constraints, reduce manual workloads, and move fast and responsibly for maximum impact.
Want to learn more? Download the Voice of Security 2026 report now.