AI is booming, but is your organisation secure enough to handle it?
AI adoption is accelerating across UK organisations, with 94% of IT decision-makers viewing it as a key part of their corporate strategy.
But as AI becomes more embedded in operations, a critical gap is emerging: security isn’t keeping pace.
In ANS’s latest report, AI Readiness Secured, we surveyed over 2,000 senior IT leaders to understand how organisations are approaching AI security.
The findings reveal a clear need for change.
Four key findings from our Security in AI report.
1. Security is lagging behind AI ambitions.
While enthusiasm for AI is high, many organisations aren’t building in security from the start. This creates vulnerabilities that can undermine the very benefits AI is meant to deliver.
With 68% of respondents saying AI is already embedded across functions, the attack surface is expanding—and so is the risk.
2. Only 29% see AI security as a strategic enabler.
Only 29% of organisations view security as a strategic enabler for AI. Instead, it’s often treated as a compliance requirement or cost centre. This mindset limits innovation and leaves systems exposed.
To unlock AI’s full potential, security must be reframed as a driver of trust, resilience, and safe innovation.
3. Investment perceptions don’t match reality.
Although 85% of respondents believe they’ve invested enough in AI security, only 42% take a proactive approach.
Many are equating spend with success, without aligning investment to actual risk. This creates a false sense of security—especially when employee training and secure-by-design practices are under-prioritised.
Oftentimes, it’s an accident waiting to happen.
4. Boards need to be brought on the journey.
91% of IT leaders say their boards understand the risks of AI adoption, but competing priorities and lack of commercial framing are major barriers to securing investment.
Without board-level sponsorship, security struggles to compete with growth-focused initiatives.
Closing the gap: what needs to change
To secure AI adoption at scale, organisations must:
- Shift mindsets: Treat security as a growth enabler, not a blocker.
- Align investment with risk: Move beyond budget benchmarks to risk-driven strategies.
- Train people, not just systems: Employees remain the most targeted entry point for attackers.
- Educate the board: Frame AI security in terms of business impact and resilience.
Security for AI cannot be an afterthought. It must be prioritised from the outset and sustained throughout adoption. Only then can organisations realise the full value of AI—safely, responsibly, and at scale.
Explore the full report
To dive deeper into the findings and recommendations, download the full AI Readiness Secured report
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Contact the team
Kir Nuthi
Kir Nuthi
Kir Nuthi is the Head of AI and Data at techUK.
She holds over seven years of Government Affairs and Tech Policy experience in the US and UK. Kir previously headed up the regulatory portfolio at a UK advocacy group for tech startups and held various public affairs in US tech policy. All involved policy research and campaigns on competition, artificial intelligence, access to data, and pro-innovation regulation.
Kir has an MSc in International Public Policy from University College London and a BA in both Political Science (International Relations) and Economics from the University of California San Diego.
Outside of techUK, you are likely to find her attempting studies at art galleries, attempting an elusive headstand at yoga, mending and binding books, or chasing her dog Maya around South London's many parks.
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- [email protected]
Usman Ikhlaq
Usman Ikhlaq
Usman joined techUK in January 2024 as Programme Manager for Artificial Intelligence.
He leads techUK’s AI Adoption programme, supporting members of all sizes and sectors in adopting AI at scale. His work involves identifying barriers to adoption, exploring solutions, and helping to unlock AI’s transformative potential, particularly its benefits for people, the economy, society, and the planet. He is also committed to advancing the UK’s AI sector and ensuring the UK remains a global leader in AI by working closely with techUK members, the UK Government, regulators, and devolved and local authorities.
Since joining techUK, Usman has delivered a regular drumbeat of activity to engage members and advance techUK's AI programme. This has included two campaign weeks, the creation of the AI Adoption Hub (now the AI Hub), the AI Leader's Event Series, the Putting AI into Action webinar series and the Industrial AI sprint campaign.
Before joining techUK, Usman worked as a policy, regulatory and government/public affairs professional in the advertising sector. He has also worked in sales, marketing, and FinTech.
Usman holds an MSc from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), a GDL and LLB from BPP Law School, and a BA from Queen Mary University of London.
When he isn’t working, Usman enjoys spending time with his family and friends. He also has a keen interest in running, reading and travelling.
Sue Daley OBE
Sue Daley OBE
Sue leads techUK's Technology and Innovation work.
This includes work programmes on cloud, data protection, data analytics, AI, digital ethics, Digital Identity and Internet of Things as well as emerging and transformative technologies and innovation policy.
In 2025, Sue was honoured with an Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to the Technology Industry in the New Year Honours List.
She has been recognised as one of the most influential people in UK tech by Computer Weekly's UKtech50 Longlist and in 2021 was inducted into the Computer Weekly Most Influential Women in UK Tech Hall of Fame.
A key influencer in driving forward the data agenda in the UK, Sue was co-chair of the UK government's National Data Strategy Forum until July 2024. As well as being recognised in the UK's Big Data 100 and the Global Top 100 Data Visionaries for 2020 Sue has also been shortlisted for the Milton Keynes Women Leaders Awards and was a judge for the Loebner Prize in AI. In addition to being a regular industry speaker on issues including AI ethics, data protection and cyber security, Sue was recently a judge for the UK Tech 50 and is a regular judge of the annual UK Cloud Awards.
Prior to joining techUK in January 2015 Sue was responsible for Symantec's Government Relations in the UK and Ireland. She has spoken at events including the UK-China Internet Forum in Beijing, UN IGF and European RSA on issues ranging from data usage and privacy, cloud computing and online child safety. Before joining Symantec, Sue was senior policy advisor at the Confederation of British Industry (CBI). Sue has an BA degree on History and American Studies from Leeds University and a Masters Degree on International Relations and Diplomacy from the University of Birmingham. Sue is a keen sportswoman and in 2016 achieved a lifelong ambition to swim the English Channel.
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- 020 7331 2055
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- @ChannelSwimSue,@ChannelSwimSue
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