As cybersecurity risks grow, here are the priorities of executives and cyber leaders

Cybersecurity is entering a defining period. As digital systems become more deeply embedded in economies, societies and daily life, cyber risk is no longer confined to the technical domain. In 2026, cybersecurity is shaped by accelerating threats, geopolitical fragmentation and a widening technological divide – even as collaboration remains one of the most powerful tools available to strengthen collective resilience.

Artificial intelligence is at the center of this transformation. It is rapidly reshaping the cyber landscape on both sides of the equation, enhancing detection and response while enabling more sophisticated, scalable attacks. Organizations are embracing AI and automation at speed, yet governance frameworks, skills and human oversight are struggling to keep pace. The result is a fast-moving, metamorphic risk environment where disruptions propagate across borders, sectors and supply chains.

At the same time, geopolitics has become a defining feature of cybersecurity strategy. Escalating geopolitical tensions, concerns around digital sovereignty, and hybrid threats are reshaping trust and cooperation between nations. Confidence in national preparedness to respond to major cyber incidents is eroding in many regions, particularly when it comes to protecting critical infrastructure – indicating the growing gap between exposure and resilience.

Economic impacts are also becoming more visible. Cyber-enabled fraud now affects households and executives alike, while unequal access to resources, expertise and security capabilities continues to widen cyber inequity. Small and medium-sized organizations, which form the backbone of the global economy, are often the least equipped to keep pace with evolving threats, increasing systemic risk for all.

Together, these dynamics point to a clear conclusion: strengthening collective cyber resilience has become both an economic and a societal imperative. Cybersecurity is one of the few frontiers where cooperation across sectors, borders and disciplines remains not only possible, but essential. In a fragmented and uncertain world, collective action offers a path to trust, stability and shared digital progress.

Here’s what executives and leaders have to say about the state of cybersecurity in 2026 and the challenges ahead:

“Cybersecurity is the foundation for our digital world. It is at the heart of trust and will allow society to fully benefit from the transformations enabled by new technologies like AI and quantum. But it’s not something one can do on their own. We have to come together, share intelligence globally and develop the skills equal to emerging risks. Society knows what’s at stake if we get this wrong. It’s critical that we get it right. If we do, we’ll be able to deliver on the many possibilities for so many people around the world.”

“Developments in AI are reshaping multiple domains, including cybersecurity. Implemented well, these technologies can assist and support human operators in detecting, defending and responding to cyber threats. However, they can also pose serious risks such as data leaks, cyberattacks and online harms if they malfunction or are misused. Governments must take a forward-looking, practical and collaborative approach to developing and using emerging technologies safely, as their capabilities and risks continue to evolve. The risks transcend borders, and the challenge is to maximize AI’s benefits, including to strengthen our cyber resilience, while minimizing its risks.”

“As the threat landscape evolves and AI increasingly powers offensive operations in cyberspace, we must step up our work on the resilience of our critical infrastructure and connectivity. The EU stands ready to work with like-minded partners to protect what is today the digital backbone of our economy and society. Looking ahead, our priority is to boost investments in cyber to strengthen Europe’s industrial capabilities and harness deep tech for better detection and anticipation, invest in people to close the cyber skills gap, and deepen intelligence sharing so that we can spot and address vulnerabilities faster.”

“With AI doubling in compute every three months or so, the risks of technology-enabled sophisticated cyber crimes have never been greater in human history. No matter how high your walls, every business faces an elevated risk of being breached. As perpetually adaptive enterprises, our focus has to be on building strong resilience and recovery frameworks, so that we can get our businesses, societies and economies up and running rapidly after an incident has taken place. The businesses that thrive in the future will not be those that have never been hit by cyber hacks or crimes, but those which have built the strongest capability to recover from them.”

“Facing rapid innovation in tech combined with the transformative impact of AI, law enforcement cannot fight cyber crime in isolation. Protecting communities now depends on true multi-stakeholder cooperation. Only together can we stay ahead of criminals and uphold safety, rights and resilience for a secure digital future.”

“Criminals are always willing to use all possible ways to get access to value, much of which is contained in the cyber infrastructure. Consequently, to stay ahead, those of us who defend must use every tool at our disposal – which now includes agentic AI.”