Companies in all industries rely on artificial intelligence (AI) in cybersecurity to protect their networks and to relieve the often understaffed IT and security operation centers (SOCs). AI cybersecurity can provide network security from several angles, including:
- Application security
- Cloud security
- Endpoint security
- Overall network security
- Network traffic analysis (NTA)
- As a component of security incident and event management (SIEM) platforms
This review of AI in Cybersecurity provides insights into the state of the market, key growth drivers, key industries using it, regional impact, leading AI cybersecurity providers and typical use cases.
AI In Cybersecurity Today
Markets and Markets estimates that the AI cybersecurity market will reach $ 38.2 billion by 2026, compared to $ 8.8 billion in 2019, a CAGR of 23.3%. Typical software offerings in the AI cybersecurity market include various features and options related to AI-based network monitoring, including application program interfaces (APIs) for speech, language, vision and data from sensors and machine learning (ML) algorithms.
Key Growth Drivers
Notable growth drivers in the AI cybersecurity market include the widespread increase in Internet of Things (IoT) adoption, the increase in the number of connected devices, and increased awareness of inherent vulnerabilities in Wi-fi networks. As more organizations venture into the cloud computing realm, AI cybersecurity that works in these environments will take a larger share of the AI cybersecurity market share. Market and Markets also points to the increased use of social media for business functions as a major growth engine in this area.
Primary Industries
AI cybersecurity usage is widespread, but a few prominent industries using this technology include:
- IT services
- Banking, financial services, and insurance (BFSI)
- Health care
- Telecommunications
- Manufacturing and supply chain
Adoption By Region
North America currently has the largest share of the AI cybersecurity market, according to Verified Market Research. Within North America, the U.S. market accounts for the largest share due to its significant presence in a number of areas including:
- Banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI)
- Government agencies
- Cloud computing
- Data regulatory compliance services
While North America is expected to retain its majority share in the AI cybersecurity market, it should be noted that the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region is expected to become the fastest growing region through 2019 and 2026. This is due to increasing internet adoption, a shift toward digitization of internal processes and the increasing adoption of cloud-based services in that region. Each of these areas can benefit from AI-powered cybersecurity solutions.
Benefits Of AI Cybersecurity
Organizations have myriad options for cybersecurity solutions, including enhanced AI solutions that offer attractive benefits not available in traditional cybersecurity. For example:
- AI can acquire knowledge over time. Platforms enhanced by machine learning and deep learning can adapt to the networks they “live” in by recognizing patterns. Once these platforms have a baseline of expected network behavior, they can intelligently determine whether unexpected behavior is a threat.
- AI is less prone to error and more efficient than human analysts. While humans will always be part of the cybersecurity equation, many processes related to network security can be automated and handled by AI, reducing input errors, speeding up security-related processes, and increasing the SOC’s ability to detect unknown threats.
- Artificial intelligence can monitor a wider scope than human security analysts. Even large SOCs have limited opportunities to investigate all potential vulnerabilities, especially when dozens or hundreds of endpoints are at stake. Modern enterprises with mobile-connected workforces and IoT significantly benefit from turning over some part of that oversight of the AI.
Another decisive advantage has to do with the so-called AI arms race. According to the theory, malicious actors are already using the power of AI to attack the network; Without equally powerful AI cybersecurity solutions, organizations are very vulnerable to sophisticated attacks, phishing and other attacks.
In its report, “Using AI for Evil: A Guide to How Cybercriminals Will Weaponize and Exploit AI to Attack Your Business,” the Forrester Research team writes, “There are already instances of threat actors and hackers using AI technologies to bolster their attacks and malware.” Enterprises face a never-ending race to beat them to the punch.
AI Cybersecurity Use Cases
Aside from typical use cases for any approach to network security (protecting proprietary data and business resources), cybersecurity with an artificial intelligence component is particularly useful for certain use cases, including:
- Fraud detection
- Unified threat management
- Within mobile device management (MDM) approaches, especially those that include BYOD mobile devices
- Streamlining security operations, including reducing the amount of repetitive and tedious work required of analysts
