Hornetsecurity, a cybersecurity provider, has unveiled the results of an independent survey involving 500 C-suite UK professionals which brings to light a prevalent Artificial Intelligence (AI) cybersecurity gap impacting UK businesses. The study reveals that over a quarter (26%) of firms in the breadth of the country do not employ AI to fortify their cybersecurity defences despite nearly half of them (45%) having previously fallen prey to cyber attacks.

The survey illustrates that cyber threats pose ever-growing concern, primarily due to a significant 85% of respondents attributing the increased sophistication of these attacks to Artificial Intelligence. Daniel Hofmann, CEO of Hornetsecurity, comments on these findings, "The results show how prevalent cyber crime is – and while 74% of businesses integrate AI into their defences with the goal of blocking threats, there's a concerning quarter who have yet to use this technology."

Approximately 40% of respondents regard AI as both mitigator and exacerbator of cyber threats. A stark 45% of business leaders assert that AI has improved the threat landscape, while a simultaneous 45% claim it has worsened it. This dichotomy reflects the growing complexity of AI’s role in cybersecurity, which is twofold – it has facilitated more sophisticated cyberattacks while simultaneously countering these threats for a multitude of businesses.

Within the existing concerns, AI-enhanced phishing attacks loom large with 58% identifying it as their primary worry. Deepfake technology has also been flagged as problematic with some 39% of companies apprehensive about its potential in cyberattacks. AI, however, does enrich cybersecurity efforts with over half (52%) of businesses implementing it to upgrade threat detection, and 19% utilizing it for cybersecurity training.

There exists a prominent divide in terms of financial investment in AI for cybersecurity - 42% place it at the top of their agenda in contrast with the 29% who consider it non-essential. Furthermore, preparedness for zero-day attacks is low; only 19% of businesses feel they are ready, paralleled by an alarming 11% who consider themselves not ready at all.

Looking forward, a significant 74% believe AI's role in cybersecurity will only grow in importance over the next five years, hinting at a future wherein AI is regarded central to corporate cybersecurity strategies. In Hofmann's words, "For businesses, the message is clear: embracing AI in cybersecurity is essential. Companies should not just invest in new technologies but strengthen all technical and human defences against an ever-evolving - and frightening - threat landscape."