AI adoption in cloud security rises as firms seek data protection
The company's State of Cloud Security Report indicates a growing reliance on AI-driven technologies as organisations seek to address vulnerabilities and fill gaps left by traditional security systems.
Adoption rates
The report found that 79% of surveyed cloud security teams are now using AI technologies to monitor and manage their environments. This figure suggests a widespread move towards automated systems, with organisations seeking solutions to keep pace with expanding cloud infrastructure and increasing demands on compliance.
The adoption of AI in cloud security is being propelled by several factors, notably the ongoing cybersecurity skills gap. Data referenced in the report from an external 2024 ISC2 Cybersecurity Workforce Study estimates a global shortfall of 4.8 million cybersecurity professionals.
Nearly half of respondents using AI (44%) cited human augmentation, or the ability to support and improve analyst decision-making, as a primary benefit. Improved data protection was noted by 42% of respondents, and 38% reported enhancements in threat detection and response capabilities using AI systems.
Challenges and trust issues
Despite high adoption rates, the report highlights that only 42% of cloud teams saw actual improvements in data protection, and just 38% observed real progress in threat detection, suggesting that the benefits of AI are being realised unevenly across organisations. The figures indicate that while there is optimism regarding AI, measurable improvements are still in the process of being confirmed.
Prowler's findings also reveal that confidence in AI is tempered by a cautious outlook on its future impact. Only 27% of professionals believe that AI and machine learning-driven analytics will have the most significant effect on cloud security over the next three years. The survey suggests that this cautious optimism is linked to the early stage of adoption and organisations' need for clearer, evidence-based outcomes from AI-based tools. "The pace at which cloud infrastructure is expanding is limiting the ability of many security teams to keep up. That's not just a challenge, it's a significant risk. The data shows a clear evolution and highlights the positives when adopting AI into how cloud security is being approached," said Toni de la Fuente, founder & CEO of Prowler. "Security professionals are not just using AI, they're relying on it to extend the reach and accuracy of their teams. As cloud environments grow more fragmented and real-time visibility becomes harder to maintain, AI's role in augmenting human effort and improving response times has become pivotal."
According to the report, the primary uses for AI within cloud security teams relate to the scale and complexity of modern cloud environments, which are often fragmented and require real-time monitoring that traditional systems struggle to deliver. AI tools are being used to automate monitoring, manage compliance requirements, and provide what many professionals describe as 'human augmentation' for overstretched teams.
Frameworks and transparency
The report concludes that, as AI technology matures, its position as a fundamental element of the security stack is being solidified across diverse sectors with substantial cloud footprints. The analysis also suggests that organisations will only fully realise the benefits of automation and advanced analytics when integrating AI with transparent and adaptable security frameworks tailored for hybrid and multi-cloud systems.
Survey data in the report suggests that ongoing challenges for AI adoption include building greater trust through demonstrating real-world efficiencies, resilience and responsiveness. Only then are organisations likely to report higher confidence in AI's influence on core cloud security operations.
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