MixMode Releases 2025 State of AI in Cybersecurity Report

Independent Ponemon Institute study of 685 IT and security professionals highlights surge in AI adoption, rise of pre-emptive defenses, stronger SOC performance, and persistent challenges in legacy integration and expertise.

SANTA BARBARA, Calif., May 6, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- MixMode, a leader in AI-powered cybersecurity, today released State of AI in Cybersecurity Report 2025, its second annual report, independently conducted by the Ponemon Institute. Based on a survey of 685 U.S. IT and security professionals, the report reveals how organizations, especially in Critical Infrastructure, SLED, and U.S. Federal sectors, are adopting AI to counter evolving cyber threats.

Key findings include:

• AI adoption is accelerating: 53% of organizations report reaching full or mature AI adoption stages, up from 47% in 2024.
  
  
• Pre-emptive AI tools are gaining traction: 43% of organizations use AI to anticipate and prevent attacks, applying predictive analytics and pattern detection to stay ahead of adversaries.
  
  
• SOC efficiency and speed improve: 58% use AI in the SOC. Among them, 57% report faster alert resolution, 55% say AI frees up analyst bandwidth, and 50% cite better real-time threat detection.
  
  
• Challenges persist: 70% of organizations say integrating AI tools with legacy systems is difficult, and 59% cite a lack of internal expertise to validate vendor claims—both up from last year.
  
  
• Threats are escalating: Insider attacks are up (53% vs. 45% in 2024), while 52% warn that without preemptive AI, attackers will operate at unprecedented speed and scale, evading traditional tools.
  
  
• AI delivers measurable gains: AI improved prioritization of threats (56%), SOC team efficiency (51%), and threat analysis speed (43%), with 70% also reporting improved job satisfaction.

"AI is shifting Cybersecurity from reactive to predictive," said John Keister, CEO of MixMode. "But legacy platforms are slowing customers down with their complexity and reliance on rules. To add to that pain, we have a huge gap where we don't have the skilled workers to fill the job openings. MixMode's predictive AI is built to automate and accelerate the capabilities of SOC  teams so they can see both known and unknown attacks in real time and be more strategic with their resources."

"This year's research shows AI is making a real difference, especially in detection speed and SOC productivity," said Dr. Larry Ponemon, Chairman of Ponemon Institute. "Still, many organizations struggle to validate solutions and integrate AI effectively. These gaps need urgent attention."

The 2025 State of AI in Cybersecurity Report is available now at mixmode.ai. Click here to download.

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