The cybersecurity landscape is undergoing a seismic shift driven by the rise of artificial intelligence, fundamentally altering how organizations defend against threats and how Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) allocate budgets and resources. A recent survey conducted by cybersecurity fund Glilot Capital among senior security executives from international firms indicates that by 2026, investment priorities will increasingly favor AI-driven cybersecurity solutions. The survey included participants from notable companies such as Blackstone, Virgin, NTT, Carolina University, Emigrant Bank, Rakuten, AppLovin, Forter, and Nebius.
When asked which security categories would receive funding from the upcoming 2026 budget, nearly 80% of respondents prioritized AI-related solutions, while approximately 20% did not identify AI as a significant focus. Specifically, 77.8% of CISOs indicated that new investments would target AI-powered cybersecurity tools, while 41.3% selected AI systems for automating security tasks. Other areas of interest included cloud data protection and identity threat detection, each chosen by 33% of participants, and exposure management and attack-surface solutions, prioritized by 22%.
The survey also shed light on the impact of significant funding rounds on perceptions within the market. About 65% of security executives acknowledged that companies raising substantial rounds tend to attract greater attention. While 50.8% admitted to being influenced by funding size, they noted it was not a decisive factor in product selection. Conversely, 14.3% stated that heavily funded vendors received priority consideration, whereas 30.2% made an effort to ignore funding size to prevent bias. Additionally, 4.8% expressed concern that inflated funding rounds could negatively impact decision-making.
Views on serial entrepreneurs in the cybersecurity space presented a mixed picture. Just over a third (38.1%) of CISOs suggested that products developed by repeat founders are often more mature and market-ready than those from first-time start-ups. In contrast, 61.9% believed that product quality is independent of the founders’ backgrounds. The reputation of the investors involved also plays a significant role; 63.5% of respondents indicated that the venture capital firms backing a start-up are important, as some funds are recognized for selecting strong teams and providing substantial support. Conversely, 19% viewed the absence of cybersecurity-focused investors as a potential red flag, while 17.5% stated it had no effect on their evaluations.
Another aspect explored was vendor strategy and the potential threat posed by AI to the traditional consolidation model. Despite ongoing complaints about tool sprawl, 34.9% of CISOs expressed a preference for selecting the best product in each category, while a similar percentage (33.3%) sought to reduce the number of vendors. Only 6.3% favored relying on two to three broad security platforms.
Looking ahead, most participants foresee significant trends gaining traction within the cybersecurity arena. A majority, 58.7%, believe that the operational use of AI for defense will become standard practice by the end of 2026. Additionally, more than half (55.6%) identified the need to secure AI-generated code as a priority, while 50.8% highlighted the necessity for tools that detect AI-driven attacks. Governance and monitoring of organizational AI usage were emphasized by 47.6% of respondents, with 30.2% expecting a growing demand for technologies that test the robustness and integrity of AI models.
Arik Kleinstein, co-founder and managing partner of Glilot Capital, remarked, “Almost all corporate security budgets are now being directed toward AI products across multiple categories. There is no board or management team of a public company that isn’t demanding rapid AI adoption to improve profitability and ensure survival. Organizations feel completely exposed, as if they have no protective wall, so they are rushing to build a new one. For the cybersecurity industry, this shift will enable the creation of a new generation of giant companies.”
See also
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