AI cyber threats force security from the server room into the boardroom

PwC Bahamas says organisations are struggling to keep pace with AI-enabled attacks, exposing a widening gap between investment in new tools and confidence in using them safely.

The rapid spread of artificial intelligence is making cyber security markedly more difficult to manage, according to PwC Bahamas, which says companies must now treat digital threats as a boardroom issue rather than a narrow technology problem. Myra Lundy-Mortimer, territory assurance leader and risk assurance partner at PwC Bahamas, said the rise of AI-enabled attacks is adding a fresh layer of complexity at a time when many organisations are still trying to strengthen their broader resilience against cyber risk.

That warning sits alongside findings from PwC’s latest Global Digital Trust Insights survey, which showed that 84 per cent of security and finance leaders expect cyber security budgets to rise as businesses confront AI-related threats. Half of those surveyed said attacks targeting AI systems were among the risks they felt least prepared to handle, while only 22 per cent said they would authorise fully autonomous AI agents for cyber defence. PwC said this reflects a striking gap between enthusiasm for AI tools and confidence in using them safely at scale.

The firm’s wider research suggests the pressure is not confined to AI alone. In its 2026 Trust and Safety Outlook, PwC said emerging threats such as synthetic reality, autonomous agents and coordinated misinformation are forcing organisations to redesign governance and controls, with human accountability remaining essential. Its cybersecurity outlook also argued that companies need to build security from the ground up, combining stronger skills, more agile strategies and careful use of AI so they can defend against increasingly sophisticated attacks.

PwC Bahamas said board oversight is still lagging behind the pace of change. Fewer than half of respondents globally strongly agreed that cyber risk is a standing item on board or executive meeting agendas, even though the survey found that organisations are increasing spending on cyber resilience and AI-enabled defences. The consultancy said firms are responding by adopting multi-cloud and hybrid strategies, expanding redundancy, localising infrastructure and reshaping third-party risk management, while many are also turning to managed services because of shortages in specialist cyber and AI talent.

The broader message from PwC is that resilience now depends on governance as much as technical investment. Its global CEO survey found that leaders increasingly see cyber risk alongside macroeconomic volatility and geopolitical disruption, and that many intend to improve enterprise-wide security practices in response. For PwC, the organisations best placed to withstand the next wave of attacks will be those that align cyber strategy with business decision-making, protect critical operations, secure data and emerging technologies, and prepare for adversaries that are themselves becoming more automated.

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Source: Fuse Wire Services