Technology company Lenovo reported that 65% of IT leaders believe their current defenses are not strong enough to counter (artificial intelligence) AI-enabled cyberattacks, while only 31% expressed confidence in their ability to protect against such threats.
The findings are from Lenovo’s third Work Reborn report, “Reinforcing the Modern Workplace.” The study noted that while AI helps businesses improve efficiency, it also creates new challenges as cybercriminals adopt the same technology.
“AI has changed the balance of power in cybersecurity,” said Rakshit Ghura, VP and GM of Lenovo Digital Workplace Solutions. “To keep up, organizations need intelligence that adapts as fast as the threats. That means fighting AI with AI.”
According to the report, the increase in the use of generative AI (GenAI) has enabled more advanced cyberattacks that are faster, harder to detect, and capable of mimicking legitimate behavior. Threats now extend across cloud systems, endpoints, applications, and data repositories.
The report highlighted external threats such as polymorphic malware, AI-driven phishing, and deepfake impersonation, which are becoming increasingly difficult to identify. It also pointed to insider risks, with 70% of IT leaders saying employee misuse of AI is a major concern and more than 60% noting that AI agents create a new type of insider threat they are not ready to manage. Also, AI models, training data, and prompts are now considered high-value targets that must be protected against manipulation and compromise.
Lenovo said addressing these risks requires stronger detection systems and embedding AI into cybersecurity defenses. However, many organizations face obstacles such as outdated infrastructure, lack of skilled professionals, and budget constraints.