“As organizations accelerate their adoption of AI, many are focused on achieving rapid gains in productivity and expansion, often overlooking the essential protections required to secure their digital environments. In 2026, a primary risk lies not only in emerging cyber threats, but also in the potential erosion of trust, damage to reputation, and significant financial losses when security is treated as an afterthought. Safeguarding AI systems needs to be a forward-thinking priority, rather than a lesson learned in the wake of a security breach,” says Mark Nicholson, Deloitte’s Cyber AI leader. 

“Integrated cyber platforms create the backbone for scalable, AI-powered advancement. Moving to platformization is more than simply consolidating technology; it represents a move toward transparency, greater efficiency, and more streamlined operations. It involves dismantling silos; constructing a unified, adaptable cyber framework; and establishing the necessary launchpad for agentic AI capabilities—key components of the next stage in cyber maturity. Delaying action can fuel ongoing complexity and technology debt. Those who act decisively may be better positioned to shape the future of AI and cyber, while others risk being left behind,” says Arun Perinkolam, Deloitte’s Cyber Platforms and TMT Industry Leader.

“In 2026, both GenAI and the rise of agentic AI are set to distinguish top Identity and Access Management (IAM) system integrators. These innovations will transform traditional approaches, enabling organizations to achieve better outcomes more quickly and efficiently. As agentic AI brings greater autonomy and decision-making, broad IAM frameworks will be crucial for overseeing and managing these new capabilities, enabling data protection, privacy, regulatory adherence, and operational effectiveness through strong authentication and role-based controls. Establishing clear access policies, routinely reviewing permissions, and raising user awareness are key steps organizations can take to safeguard sensitive data and enable the secure, seamless adoption of GenAI and agentic AI,” says Anthony Berg, Deloitte’s Cyber Identity Leader.

“In the coming year, we expect visionary CISOs will adopt agentic AI not only to improve orchestration and operational efficiency, but also as a sophisticated tool for detection, containment, and response. The agentic SOC signifies a fundamental shift from reactive to anticipatory, adaptable security, harnessing data and platform integration to stay ahead of AI-driven threats. Organizations that lead this transition should be better able to strengthen their security resilience and help shape the next generation of enterprise defense.” says Sharon Chand, Deloitte’s Cyber Defense & Resilience Leader.