Cisco report highlights cybersecurity risks and benefits of industrial AI
Industrial networking teams view AI as both a cybersecurity challenge and a defensive tool, Cisco reports.
AI is becoming central to industrial networking strategies, but it is also creating new security challenges, according to Cisco’s 2026 State of Industrial AI Report.
Based on a survey of 1,000 professionals across 19 countries and 21 sectors, the report shows organisations view cybersecurity as both a barrier and an opportunity for AI adoption. About 40% cited cybersecurity concerns as a major obstacle, while 48% named security their biggest networking challenge.
At the same time, many organisations believe AI will strengthen their cyber resilience. Cisco noted that ‘while security gaps are limiting AI scale today, organisations view AI as a tool to strengthen detection, monitoring and resilience’.
The report also highlights organisational challenges, particularly collaboration between IT and operational technology teams. Only 20% of organisations report fully collaborative IT and OT cybersecurity operations, despite the growing importance of coordination for AI deployment.
Cisco said industrial AI adoption is accelerating, with 61% of organisations already deploying AI in industrial environments. However, only one in five reports mature, scaled adoption, suggesting many deployments remain in early stages.
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