In recent years Artificial Intelligence (AI) has quickly changed from being discussed in the background by technical specialists to being ubiquitous. Whilst AI isn’t new (having been developed in a research project at in 1956), recent technological advances have made it smarter, better, and faster.
Like any new tool there are costs and benefits, risks and rewards, and the results are determined by the user and how it is used. AI excels at processing large datasets and recognising complex patterns, and in the modern world, this is invaluable. In 2026 the data processed by computers daily is gargantuan, and the pace of technological change is so fast that if you blink you might miss it.
The State of AI in Cybersecurity: Key Statistics
In 2025 there were almost 50,000 Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVEs), a collection of standardised cybersecurity vulnerabilities, published. That’s nearly 137 per day, 6 per hour, one every 10 minutes. Cybercriminals are making use of technology, including AI, to identify and exploit these vulnerabilities en masse, taking a median of 5 days for them to mass exploit Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV), and zero days to exploit edge devices. These vulnerabilities can lead to compliance failures, data breaches, and ransomware – the impact can be devastating.
Unfortunately, this is where many organisations falter.
- 63% of breached organisations have no AI governance policy in place
- 97% of firms who reported an AI related security incident lacked proper AI access controls
- High levels of shadow AI resulted in an average increased breach cost of $670,000 USD per breach compared to organisations with low or no shadow AI usage
Deciding Your AI Approach… How Soon and How Safe?
AI adoption is no longer “if”, but “when”. It is the vehicle delivering the desired result faster, but you need the right drivers, the right safety mechanisms, the right delivery plan.
Organisations will eventually reach their goals regardless of how effectively they are using AI, but your approach to AI usage and security provides the answer to the question: how soon do you want to get there safely?
Organisations should be asking themselves:
- How are we using AI now?
- How can we use AI in the future?
- How can we do so securely?
Scotland & Systal: At the forefront of AI readiness
Scotland is at the forefront of AI readiness among local authorities , according to a recent report by Heriot-Watt University. This is an encouraging step forward, demonstrating the potential for AI to allow local authorities to enhance service efficiency, reduce costs and fiscal waste, decrease waiting times and improve public services.
Here at Systal, our AI platform – Systal Secure AI Manager (SAM). Has reduced the effort of vulnerability analysis. In a recent global manufacturing engagement for example, we used SAM to assess more than 4,600 firewall rules. The assessment was completed in under two weeks, replacing a manual process that would have taken several months. More than 98% of the effort was automated.