Rapid7-Omdia Research Reveals AI Governance Gap Among Security Leaders

Global study finds AI has become mainstream in security operations, shifting the conversation from adoption to governance and accountability

Rapid7 a global leader in AI-powered managed cybersecurity operations, today released new research conducted by Omdia, a division of TechTarget, Inc., revealing that while AI has earned widespread trust inside security operations centers (SOCs), executive security leaders are significantly more concerned than frontline practitioners about how AI is governed.

The global survey of 500 security professionals found executive security leaders are 1.6 times more likely than operational security managers to report being highly concerned about how AI vendors handle their organization’s security data. The findings suggest AI has crossed the operational adoption threshold, with attention now shifting toward transparency, accountability, and governance.

Among organizations already using AI in production, nearly all respondents report positive operational results, reinforcing that AI has become a core component of modern security operations rather than an emerging technology.

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Key findings from the report include:

• Executive leaders are 1.6x more likely than practitioners to express strong concern about AI governance, signaling a growing disconnect between operational confidence and executive oversight.
• 97% report AI is having a positive impact on security operations, while 98% of organizations already using AI say it helps reduce alert fatigue.
• 92% agree human oversight remains essential, underscoring that organizations view AI as augmenting, not replacing, security analysts.
• 86% believe managed detection and response (MDR) providers that integrate AI offer an advantage over traditional MDR services.

“The conversation has changed,” said Dejan Decklich, Chief Product and Technology Officer at Rapid7. “Security teams are no longer asking whether AI belongs in the SOC; they’re asking how to govern it responsibly. Organizations want AI that helps analysts move faster and work more effectively, but they also expect transparency, accountability, and human expertise to remain central to security operations.”

The research shows AI has become firmly embedded in day-to-day security operations. Organizations report AI is helping reduce alert fatigue, automate repetitive work, and improve analyst productivity – evidence that AI has moved from experimentation into operational deployment. Now, rather than debating whether AI delivers value, security teams are increasingly focused on how to deploy it responsibly and effectively.

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Governance Is Becoming the Next Competitive Differentiator

While operational teams report strong confidence in AI, executive leaders are taking a broader view. The study found executive security leaders are substantially more concerned than frontline practitioners about how AI vendors manage sensitive security data. This is a clear signal that governance has become a board-level issue alongside operational performance.

Respondents also identified transparency into AI decision-making, visibility into model performance, and strong data privacy protections among their top expectations for AI providers, reflecting growing demand for responsible AI rather than simply more automation.

“Our research shows organizations have largely accepted AI as part of modern security operations,” said Dave Gruber, Principal Analyst at Omdia. “The next phase of adoption will be defined by trust. Security leaders increasingly want solutions that combine AI-driven efficiency with transparency, governance, and human expertise.”

Smarter, Faster, Still Human: Rethinking the Modern SOC

The findings also reinforce that organizations are not looking to remove humans from security operations. Instead, respondents overwhelmingly support AI as a tool that enhances analyst productivity while preserving human oversight for judgement, validation, and decision-making. That expectation extends to managed security providers, with 86% saying AI-enhanced MDR services provide a competitive advantage over traditional offerings.

Rapid7 combines AI-powered capabilities with expert-led managed detection and response through the Rapid7 Command Platform, helping organizations accelerate investigations, reduce alert fatigue, and strengthen security outcomes while maintaining transparency and human accountability.

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