Yet another survey is unveiling this common (and dangerous) trend amid the hype cycle …

Based on an Oct 2023 commissioned study of 826 IT and cybersecurity leaders globally*, including 207 respondents from parts of the Asia Pacific region (APAC) on the topic of generative AI (GenAI) adoption goals in their workplaces, several trends were observed.

First, 55% of APAC respondents (survey average: 52%) indicated they had already implemented or plan to expand their use of GenAI within the next 12 months, despite what they perceived as “current governance shortfalls”. 

Second, 68% of APAC respondents cited aiming to use GenAI to bolster preventative security measures.

Third, 70% of APAC respondent indicated they were seeking to align IT and cybersecurity goals with broader business objectives through the use of GenAI.

Also, 57% cited a lack of skills to develop, implement, or operate GenAI solutions as a major barrier. Some 62% cited the lack of technology maturity as a critical obstacle, while 52% indicated having concerns over privacy issues related to using AI to mine customer insights.

At the global level, less than 20% of respondents indicated having governance regulations in place for AI use, while 39% of APAC respondents cited plans to implement GenAI governance within the next 12 months.

According to Nigel Ng, Senior Vice President (Asia Pacific and Japan), Tenable, the firm that commissioned the survey: “The adoption of GenAI-powered cybersecurity platforms acts as a powerful force multiplier, enabling rapid analysis of numerous assets, vulnerabilities, cloud misconfigurations, and other datasets to quickly pinpoint risks within an organisation and provide critical context that might otherwise be overlooked. However, effective governance is essential to ensure that GenAI adoption not only drives business and security outcomes, but also complies with ethical standards and regulatory requirements. As organizations accelerate GenAI adoption, they must also implement robust frameworks to manage the technology’s risks and benefits effectively.”

*No details of geographical distribution or respondent/organization profiles provided