Splunk, a Cisco Company, has published "The CISO Report: From Risk to Resilience in the AI Era," based on a survey of 650 global Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs). The report examines the expanding CISO role, cautious yet strategic AI adoption, persistent human talent priorities, and the need for resilience amid accelerating threats and complexity.
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"CISOs operate in the eye of the storm, at the center of constant transformation. Role responsibilities expand, threats evolve, and AI accelerates everything," said Michael Fanning, CISO, Splunk, a Cisco Company. "This expanded mandate brings an exceptional level of pressure and personal accountability. We are not just managing technology. We are managing risk, talent, and the digital resilience that drives critical business outcomes."
CISOs approach AI with cautious optimism, viewing it as essential for combating advanced threats and enabling productivity gains. Agentic AI shows particular promise in scaling data review and response, but concerns about its misuse by adversaries highlight the need for trusted, compliant foundations.
Human capital remains central: despite AI's rise, CISOs emphasize upskilling and hiring to address gaps, recognizing that human creativity and judgment are irreplaceable for strategic security work. Burnout and alert fatigue underscore the importance of consolidating data views, reducing noise, and improving cross-departmental sharing—though privacy concerns (91%), storage costs (76%), and lack of shared views (70%) pose ongoing barriers.
The report positions security as a business enabler, with CISOs translating value through metrics like incident reduction, Mean Time to Detect/Respond (MTTD/MTTR), and collaboration with the C-suite. Adaptability—balancing innovation with regulatory readiness, security, and resilience—emerges as the defining factor for success in this evolving landscape.
To download the 2026 CISO Report, visit the Splunk website.
Methodology Oxford Economics surveyed 650 CISOs in July–August 2025 across Australia, France, Germany, India, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Respondents represent nine industries: manufacturing, telecommunications, media and communications, financial services, public sector, energy and utilities, transportation and logistics, retail and consumer goods, healthcare and life sciences, and information services and technology.
About Cisco
Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the worldwide technology leader that is revolutionizing the way organizations connect and protect in the AI era. For more than 40 years, Cisco has securely connected the world. With its industry leading AI-powered solutions and services, Cisco enables its customers, partners and communities to unlock innovation, enhance productivity and strengthen digital resilience. With purpose at its core, Cisco remains committed to creating a more connected and inclusive future for all. Discover more on The Newsroom and follow us on X at @Cisco.
About Splunk LLC
Splunk, a Cisco company, helps build a safer and more resilient digital world. Organizations trust Splunk to prevent security, infrastructure and application issues from becoming major incidents, absorb shocks from digital disruptions, and accelerate digital transformation.
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