Exabeam has today shared findings from a survey of cybersecurity professionals attending Infosecurity Europe 2026, offering a snapshot of how practitioners view AI’s growing impact on security operations.
Among the 134 cybersecurity professionals surveyed when visiting the Exabeam booth, 87% said AI has improved their security team’s productivity. At the same time, one in four identified AI agents and autonomous systems as the single greatest cybersecurity threat facing their organisation, reflecting the dual role AI now plays in helping defenders while introducing new insider risks.
“As organisations deploy AI across the business, they’re introducing a new class of trusted identities,” said Findlay Whitelaw, Field CISO at Exabeam. “AI agents can access systems, process sensitive information and make decisions autonomously using legitimate credentials. Security teams aren’t just protecting people anymore. They’re securing trusted identities, whether they’re human or AI.”
While external threat actors were the most frequently cited cybersecurity threat (40%), AI agents and autonomous systems ranked similarly to compromised insiders, ahead of malicious insiders (9%). Unlike traditional attackers, AI agents increasingly operate with authorised access and trusted workflows, making risky behaviour more difficult to distinguish from normal business activity.
The survey also found that insider threats remain a persistent concern. Nearly half (46%) of respondents said insider threats have increased over the past 12 months, while 43% said they have remained the same. Only 4% believe insider threats have decreased.
At the same time, nearly three-quarters (72%) believe executive leadership underestimates insider threat risk, suggesting many organisations have yet to fully appreciate how insider risk is evolving as AI becomes part of the workforce.
“Insider risk hasn’t disappeared, it has evolved,” Whitelaw said. “The challenge is no longer limited to monitoring employees or compromised accounts. Organisations also need to understand how AI agents behave, and identify abnormalities before they become business risk. Understanding behaviour across both human and AI identities is essential to protecting the modern enterprise.”
Survey methodology
Exabeam surveyed 134 cybersecurity professionals attending the Exabeam Booth at Infosecurity Europe in London during the event in June 2026. Approximately 78% of respondents were based in the UK and Ireland. The findings represent a snapshot of the views of cyber security professionals who engaged with Exabeam at Infosecurity Europe 2026, and are intended to reflect participant sentiment.
