A new global report released by NTT DATA on 18 June highlights growing misalignment within the C-Suite over the deployment of generative AI (GenAI) in enterprises. While CEOs are pushing forward with major GenAI investments, Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) are signalling concerns over security gaps, unclear governance, and outdated infrastructure.
Titled The AI Security Balancing Act: From Risk to Innovation, the report draws on survey responses from over 2,300 senior GenAI decision-makers across 34 countries, including 1,500 C-level executives. It reveals a growing divide between strategic ambition and operational readiness. Nearly all C-Suite leaders (99%) are planning continued GenAI investment in the next two years, with 67% of CEOs committing to significant spending. At the same time, 95% of CIOs and CTOs report that GenAI is already driving or will drive higher cybersecurity investment.
Despite the enthusiasm, 45% of CISOs express negative sentiment towards GenAI adoption. More than half (54%) say that internal guidelines for GenAI responsibility remain unclear—compared to only 20% of CEOs who feel the same. This discrepancy highlights a gap in executive alignment on how to manage GenAI risks while delivering value.
Security concerns and skills gap limit progress
The report outlines how CISOs, while wary, still recognise the value of GenAI. Among those with negative views, 81% still believe the technology will improve efficiency and deliver measurable business outcomes. However, this cautious optimism is tempered by a lack of organisational readiness.
NTT DATA found that 69% of CISOs believe their teams lack the necessary skills to work effectively with GenAI, despite 97% considering themselves decision-makers in GenAI implementation. Additionally, only 38% of CISOs believe their GenAI and cybersecurity strategies are well aligned, compared to 51% of CEOs.
A lack of formal frameworks is another issue. More than 70% of organisations surveyed do not yet have formal GenAI usage policies, and just 24% of CISOs strongly agree that their organisation has a clear model to balance risk with innovation. These factors contribute to the friction between business leaders pushing for innovation and security teams calling for caution.
Infrastructure and partner strategies key to unlocking GenAI
Legacy infrastructure remains a significant barrier to effective GenAI deployment. According to the survey, 88% of security leaders cite ageing systems as a major obstacle to agility and AI readiness. Upgrading technologies such as IoT, 5G, and edge computing is seen as crucial for enabling safe and scalable AI adoption.
To overcome these challenges, 64% of CISOs are prioritising co-innovation with strategic IT partners rather than relying solely on in-house or standalone AI tools. Security leaders ranked end-to-end GenAI service capabilities as the most important factor when evaluating potential technology partners.
“As organisations accelerate GenAI adoption, cybersecurity must be embedded from the outset to reinforce resilience. While CEOs champion innovation, ensuring seamless collaboration between cybersecurity and business strategy is critical to mitigating emerging risks,” said Sheetal Mehta, Senior Vice President and Global Head of Cybersecurity at NTT DATA, Inc. “A secure and scalable approach to GenAI requires proactive alignment, modern infrastructure and trusted co-innovation to protect enterprises from emerging threats while unlocking AI’s full potential.”
Craig Robinson, Research Vice President of Security Services at IDC, added, “Collaboration is highly valued by line-of-business leaders in their relationships with CISOs. However, disconnects remain, with gaps between the organisation’s desired risk posture and its current cybersecurity capabilities. While the use of GenAI clearly provides benefits to the enterprise, CISOs and Global Risk and Compliance leaders struggle to communicate the need for proper governance and guardrails, making alignment with business leaders essential for implementation.”
Research methodology and company background
The report’s findings are based on responses from 2,300 senior decision-makers involved in GenAI strategy across 34 countries. Of these, 68% were C-suite leaders such as CEOs, CISOs, CIOs, CTOs, CDOs, and others. The remaining respondents included Vice Presidents, Directors, and senior managers. The study was independently conducted by Jigsaw Research on behalf of NTT DATA.
NTT DATA is a global business and technology services company with annual revenues exceeding US$30 billion. Serving 75% of the Fortune Global 100, the company operates in more than 50 countries and partners with both established and emerging firms. Its services span digital transformation, data and AI, IT infrastructure, application development, and more. NTT DATA is part of the NTT Group, which invests over US$3.6 billion annually in research and development.
