CISOs to pour 2026 budgets into AI as cybersecurity priorities shift
Survey of global security chiefs shows nearly 80% plan new investments in AI defenses and automation.
The upheaval sweeping the cybersecurity industry as a result of artificial intelligence is reshaping not only how organizations defend themselves, but also how Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) allocate budgets and resources. A survey conducted by cybersecurity fund Glilot Capital among dozens of senior security executives at international companies indicates that, in 2026, investment priorities will shift decisively toward AI-driven cybersecurity solutions. Participants in the survey included security leaders from organizations such as Blackstone, Virgin, NTT, Carolina University, Emigrant Bank, Rakuten, AppLovin, Forter, and Nebius.
When asked which security categories would receive funding from the new 2026 budget (with respondents able to select up to two options), nearly 80% pointed to AI-related solutions, while about 20% did not mark AI as a high priority. Specifically, 77.8% said new investments would be directed to AI-powered cybersecurity tools, and 41.3% selected AI systems for automating security tasks. Cloud data protection and identity threat detection were each chosen by 33% of respondents, while 22% prioritized exposure management and attack-surface solutions.
The survey also highlights the influence of large funding rounds on market perception. Some 65% of security executives said companies that raise major rounds receive greater attention. While 50.8% acknowledged being influenced by such rounds, they said it was not a decisive factor in product selection. Another 14.3% admitted that heavily funded vendors receive priority consideration, 30.2% said they actively try to ignore funding size to avoid bias, and 4.8% warned that an inflated round could negatively affect decision-making.
Views on serial entrepreneurs were mixed. Just over a third (38.1%) of CISOs believe products built by repeat founders are more mature and market-ready than those from first-time startups, while 61.9% said product quality is independent of founders’ backgrounds. The identity of investors also carries weight: 63.5% of respondents said the venture capital firms backing a startup matter, as certain funds are known for selecting strong teams and providing meaningful support. Nineteen percent described the absence of cybersecurity-focused investors as a red flag, while 17.5% said it had no impact on their evaluation.
Another question explored vendor strategy and whether AI is undermining the traditional consolidation model. Despite longstanding complaints about tool sprawl, 34.9% of CISOs said they still prefer to select the best product in each category. A similar share, 33.3%, aims to reduce the number of vendors, while only 6.3% favor relying on two to three broad security platforms.
Finally, participants were asked which trends are expected to gain momentum in cybersecurity. A majority, 58.7%, believe the operational use of AI for defense will become standard by the end of 2026. More than half (55.6%) highlighted the need to secure AI-generated code, 50.8% pointed to tools for detecting AI-driven attacks, and 47.6% emphasized governance and monitoring of organizational AI usage. Additionally, 30.2% expect growing demand for technologies that test the robustness and integrity of AI models.
Arik Kleinstein, co-founder and managing partner of Glilot Capital, said: “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.”
