--- description: Cybersecurity in the age of AI is changing, but, according to new data, Canadians are hesitant compared to their global peers to embrace the help of AI. image: https://gdm-localsites-assets-gfprod.imgix.net/images/getapp/og_logo-94fd2a03a6c7a0e54fc0c9e21a1c0ce9.png title: Canadian opinion split on cybersecurity in the age of AI --- # Canadians are split on the impact of AI in cybersecurity: Can it help protect or is it an evolved cyber threat? Canonical: https://www.getapp.ca/blog/7532/canadians-cybersecurity-age-of-ai-doubts Published on 2024-10-28 | Written by David Jani. ![Canadians are split on the impact of AI in cybersecurity: Can it help protect or is it an evolved cyber threat?](https://images.ctfassets.net/63bmaubptoky/6icdxmjnRyt9zzoSC7YewF/08fb3e4b3482adf88e7582a3bce257c8/ia-et-management-GetApp-Header.jpg) > Artificial intelligence (AI) can represent both a friend and a foe in cybersecurity, but to what extent is it the former or the latter? We surveyed 350 Canadian IT professionals, and the findings show there’s still a good deal of uncertainty about AI and data security. ----- ## Article Content Artificial intelligence (AI) can represent both a friend and a foe in cybersecurity, but to what extent is it the former or the latter? We surveyed 350 Canadian IT professionals, and the findings show there’s still a good deal of uncertainty about AI and data security.In this articleCanadian IT pros see AI as a friend rather than a foe, but only just93% Canadians in IT have at least one AI investment priorityCanadian firms favour monitoring and automation when using AI cybersecurity features3 tips for effectively implementing AI in cybersecurityCanadian IT professionals are almost evenly split on the impact of AI in cybersecurity. Many see the technology as a possibility for better security and data defence but almost as many worry it will empower cybercriminals to commit more successful attacks. This was one of the core findings in GetApp’s 2024 Data Security survey\* which assessed responses from 4,000 IT data security professionals in 11 countries, with 350 from Canada alone.It’s true that cybersecurity in the age of AI is still in a phase of development. However, the deployment of AI tools for cyber defence can involve the commitment of significant resources to get the right results. There is an opportunity window to adopt these technologies in advance of increasingly powerful cyberattacks enhanced by AI, but that requires decisive action sooner rather than later. To explain the situation better, we’ve studied our data to understand how Canadian IT professionals are seeing their businesses respond to AI tech's opportunities and challenges. We also share three important steps to take when deploying AI cyber tools for cyber defence.Key insightsJust over half (53%) of Canadian IT professionals say AI helps security teams enhance their defences.74% work in firms that expect to increase IT security spending in 2025, lower than the global average of 84%.Canadians in IT identify threat detection and cloud security as top AI investment priorities for their firms.Both real-time monitoring (43%) and routine task automation (39%) stand out as the most used AI cybersecurity features nationally.Canadian IT pros see AI as a friend rather than a foe, but only justWe’ve already seen in our first look into our 2024 Data Security Survey that Canadian professionals in IT are mindful of the many risks affecting the sector due to the proliferation of AI tools. There is a lot of concern about deepfake attacks and this seems to be colouring the perception of AI in cybersecurity more generally.Globally, there is a high level of confidence that the role of AI in data security will improve defences against cyberattacks more than increase the ferocity of threats. However, Canada has among the lowest confidence in AI worldwide and the highest proportion of IT professionals who fear the extra danger that it can bring to attacks. To demonstrate, while our global average shows 62% of IT professionals surveyed think of AI as an opportunity more than a threat in cybersecurity, Canadians are more split.In terms of usefulness, various facets of AI, such as machine learning, neural networks, deep learning, and natural language processing (NLP), can prove to be helpful for cyber defence. This is especially true when it comes to the capacity to train systems to automatically detect threats with increased precision and effectiveness.  Nevertheless, just a slight majority of Canadians believe that AI is a bigger opportunity than it is a threat to cyber defence. This ambivalence could suggest a lower uptake of AI systems compared to global peers. As the next section demonstrates, this is also compounded by levels of spending on cybersecurity nationally.93% Canadians in IT have at least one AI investment priorityIt’s true that Canada is more pessimistic about the impact of AI on the security and surveillance of company systems. However, our data shows that an overwhelming majority of IT professionals (93%) work in companies that actually do plan to invest in AI.In many cases, these priorities focus on the most vital security areas, such as cloud security, threat detection, and network security.A significant proportion of businesses in Canada are seizing the opportunity to enhance their cybersecurity tech stack with AI despite (or perhaps because of) fears of AI cyberattacks. Whilst around 40% of the sample work in businesses prioritizing AI to create more robust network monitoring, there is a noticeable difference in the commitment to cybersecurity spending compared to other countries surveyed.  Globally, the IT professionals we surveyed indicate that the businesses they work in are committed to increased cybersecurity investment in 2025, with 84% anticipating extra spending. However, this is significantly lower in Canada, with only 74% indicating that their cybersecurity spending will rise next year.This is not a big shift from the 73% anticipated year-on-year spending increase for 2024 amongst Canadian IT professionals. However, Canada stands out in that it has the lowest commitment to cybersecurity spending compared to all other countries surveyed. This seems to compound a trend observed in a previous report that Canadians are behind the global curve in being prepared for attacks powered by AI.CIRA sounds the alarm on AIIt’s not just our data that is showing under-preparedness for AI attacks. The Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA) also made a similar assessment in October 2023, warning that companies lacked the policies to prevent, protect, and educate their teams on AI-driven threats. \[1\]  Therefore, IT professionals have a good reason to take a practical and proactive approach to AI, whether it is used in system defence or not. Foresighted protection is key.Canadian firms favour monitoring and automation when using AI cybersecurity featuresAI and data security can work intuitively together rather than working against each other. Artificial intelligence offers several big advantages for saving time and improving security. For example, AI can simplify and automate threat monitoring, detect attacks before they do too much damage, and free up IT teams’ capacity for other tasks.This is highlighted by our findings that 88% of Canadian IT professionals already use AI-powered security features. This is a high number, and yet once again, Canada lags behind global averages, with our findings showing a mean of 92% overall. However, the uses of these systems seem to reflect the fact that companies see AI’s value in the automation of tasks and improving threat monitoring. The top feature being put to use by firms at present is ‘real-time monitoring’, with over 43% of our sample using it at work, with automation and pattern recognition also proving popular.3 tips for effectively implementing AI in cybersecurityThere are solid reasons to introduce AI into a cybersecurity plan in the near future. However, the process needs to be carefully managed. Integrating AI into a business’s cybersecurity defences can be a long process, and it’s important to factor this into planning. A recent article by Gartner identifies four key areas of focus to get firms ready to leverage AI. These include defining the goals for using AI tools, making data ‘AI-ready’, and adopting AI principles. \[2\] To excel in these areas, we’ve highlighted three tips to prep your firm for AI-enabled cybersecurity implementation.1. Plan around AI’s cyber threat prevention strengthsThe first step in any AI deployment is to set goals for its use. Having clear goals can help organize preparations for implementation and plan the use of staff and resources more effectively. You should also prioritize areas where AI can help drive better protection of systems that need constant surveillance. As our data shows, this applies primarily to cloud security, threat detection, and network security amongst Canadian businesses. Another important consideration is to check how this will affect the organization’s current tech stack. Based on changing business needs and market trends, businesses have to decide whether to opt for a new software entirely or leverage unutilized features of an existing system. In some cases, businesses may be able to add AI features to an existing security system suite, so keep a lookout for these.2. Prioritize human-in-the-loop (HITL) approachesThe use of machine learning and deep learning automations in cybersecurity isn’t quite as contentious as other areas where AI can be used, such as the application of generative AI in marketing. However, whilst monitoring and automation of cybersecurity measures can help IT teams save time and enhance protection, human intervention is necessary to avoid errors that a machine could miss due to faulty programming or limited capabilities.A human-in-the-loop (HITL) approach can help ensure smooth operations even with most AI-managed tasks, especially when considering AI deployment and applying ethical AI principals. Human decision-making should still be able to override AI and allow a person to act on threat intelligence manually when needed. Additionally, businesses should set clear guardrails to avoid improper use of data and to stay compliant with regulations.     To get ready for the use of AI in a company, firms will need to provide sufficient security training courses that empower staff to use AI tools effectively. This should focus on how and where human intervention is needed, how to remain data compliant when using data for AI training, and a technical understanding of identifying bugs when managing AI tech.3. Get data AI-ready Using AI in any capacity requires valuable data sources to train the system. Moreover, this data source/information needs to be organized and readable. This helps an AI tool carry out tasks more accurately and reduces the risk of performance errors. There are a few key factors to focus on to get data AI-ready.Data management and data governance are highly important to AI adoption. The data that can be accessed and used by a system must be checked carefully and organized into an error-free, readable, and uniform format for an AI system to put it to effective use.Once data is prepared for use by an AI process, companies should decide on whether to use a system fed with information primarily from public datasets or to leverage their own in-house data sets. Alternatively, they can partially or entirely use proprietary data sets belonging to the software maker providing the AI system. Managing the data process in-house can be more challenging and expensive, but it also provides a more bespoke service for the user. Protecting any data you share with the system is also highly important. In theory, AI-assisted cybersecurity software should take care of much of that but there are still ways that data could be compromised. For example, data poisoning, where data is deliberately tampered with to compromise performance, can make a secure system more vulnerable to attacks (a factor that 34% of respondents noted as a top concern).In summary, artificial intelligence is growing in use within cybersecurity but has yet to be clearly assigned to the category of either threat or ally. However, AI tools offer IT professionals a unique opportunity to get ahead of threats and support businesses in making their data more secure.Looking for artificial intelligence software? Check out our catalogue. ## Disclaimer > Methodology\*GetApp’s 2024 Data Security Survey was conducted online in August 2024 among 4,000 respondents in Australia (n=350), Brazil (n=350), Canada (n=350), France (n=350), India (n=350), Italy (n=350), Japan (n=350), Mexico (n=350), Spain (n=350), the U.K. (n=350), and the U.S. (n=500) to learn more about data security practices at businesses around the world. Respondents were screened for full-time employment in an IT role with responsibility for, or full knowledge of, their company's data security measures.SourcesCanadian organizations are unprepared for AI-driven cyber threats, CIRA Get AI Ready: Action plan for IT Leaders, Gartner ## About the author ### David Jani David is a Content Analyst for the UK, providing key insights into tech, software and business trends for SMEs. Cardiff University graduate. 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