Only one in 10 organizations worldwide are ready to protect themselves from cyberattacks powered by artificial intelligence (AI), according to global professional services firm Accenture.
The firm’s latest State of Cybersecurity Resilience 2025 report found that 90% of surveyed organizations are not adequately prepared for AI-augmented threats. Almost two-thirds, or 63%, are in what Accenture calls the “Exposed Zone,” meaning they lack both a clear cybersecurity strategy and the technical skills to defend against attacks.
Accenture categorized respondents into three security maturity levels. The top group, the “Reinvention Ready Zone,” represents 10% of organizations with adaptive, resilient defenses that evolve with emerging threats. The “Progressing Zone,” which includes 27% of respondents, shows partial progress but lacks clear strategic direction. The “Exposed Zone,” which includes 63% of organizations, remains most at risk due to reactive and limited cybersecurity capabilities.
“Rising geopolitical tensions, economic volatility, and increasingly complex operational environments, coupled with AI-augmented attacks, are leaving organizations more vulnerable to cyber risks,” said Paolo Dal Cin, global lead, Accenture Security.
The report, based on a survey of 2,286 cybersecurity and technology executives from large organizations around the world, shows that AI adoption has accelerated the scale and sophistication of cyber threats, outpacing current enterprise defenses.
More than three-quarters, or 77%, of respondents said their companies do not have sufficient data and AI security practices to protect their core business operations, data systems, and cloud environments.
“This report serves as a wake-up call that cybersecurity can no longer be an afterthought. It must be embedded by design into every AI-driven initiative,” Dal Cin said.
The study also found that only 22% of organizations have policies and employee training for the use of generative AI (GenAI). Few companies track or maintain an inventory of AI systems, a key step in managing risks in the supply chain. Data protection remains a challenge, with just 25% of respondents saying their companies fully apply encryption and access controls to safeguard sensitive information.
“The rapid advancement of GenAI represents a profound paradigm shift in cybersecurity, bringing unique challenges and opportunities,” said Daniel Kendzior, global Data and AI Security lead at Accenture.
Across regions, the report found that 14% of organizations in North America and 11% in Europe have mature cybersecurity postures. In Latin America, 77% of companies lack basic readiness, while 71% in Asia-Pacific remain in the “Exposed Zone.”
Accenture said companies in the “Reinvention Ready Zone” are 69% less likely to experience advanced attacks and 1.5 times more effective at preventing them. These organizations also report greater visibility across IT and operational systems, lower technical debt, and higher customer trust, showing that stronger cybersecurity not only improves resilience but also supports business performance.