95% of organizations in Saudi Arabia are confident cybersecurity investments are delivering measurable business value
BROOMFIELD, Colo. – February 24, 2026 – Exabeam, a global leader in intelligence and automation that powers security operations, today announced the findings of its new multinational report, From Adoption to Accountability: The New Economics of AI in Cybersecurity. Based on a survey of 750 IT decision-makers responsible for security in organizations with 500 or more employees across 12 countries, the research reveals a critical paradox. While cybersecurity budgets are experiencing unprecedented growth, security leaders are accelerating AI transformation while falling behind on measurement, justification and strategic alignment.
According to the study, 95% of organizations in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are confident cybersecurity investments are delivering business value. In addition, 97% of KSA organizations believe their current cybersecurity budget aligns with the threats they expect to face in 2026.
However, AI simultaneously holds three contradictory positions in budget planning for the KSA. It is the top driver of increases at 39%, the second investment that would be cut if budgets are tightened at 42%, and the most challenging spend to justify to business stakeholders at 22%. At the same time, 75% say AI is already improving speed and accuracy in security operations, with 38% believing that data enrichment and contextualization will be most impacted by AI in 2026.
“Security leaders are getting mandates to invest in AI, but nobody has given them a way to prove it is working. You cannot measure AI transformation with pre-AI metrics,” said Steve Wilson, Chief AI and Product Officer at Exabeam. “The problem is not that security teams lack data. They are drowning in it. The issue is that they are tracking the wrong things and speaking a language the board does not understand. Those are the budgets that get cut first. The window to fix this is closing fast.”
Unprecedented Budget Growth Driven by AI Transformation
In Saudi Arabia, cybersecurity investment trends for 2026 reflect a significant shift. AI and automation are the primary catalyst for budget expansion at 39%, followed by talent acquisition and workforce development at 35%. Cloud infrastructure, mainstream business use of AI and replacing legacy tools each account for 32%. Organizations in the KSA are evaluating how cybersecurity and AI investments impact the entire infrastructure, from technology enablement to closing workforce gaps.
The Value Demonstration Gap Creates Vulnerability
While 95% of Saudi security leaders express confidence that their investments are delivering business value, 20% cite a lack of board understanding of the link between cybersecurity investment and business resilience as one of their biggest challenges in defending spend. Additionally, 23% say an overemphasis on compliance compared to risk reduction is a key challenge.
This disconnect reveals a critical vulnerability. Although 65% of security leaders report using quantified ROI and 58% use outcome metrics, boards and executives still struggle to understand the connection between security investments and business risk. Security teams continue to rely on traditional security measurements that do not translate into the business impact language boards need to evaluate investment decisions.
Regional Variations Show Diverse AI Adoption Strategies
Regional differences in AI adoption are significant. Saudi Arabia demonstrates one of the most aggressive positions, with 75% reporting AI is already improving security operations, nearly triple the rate of Japan at 27% and the Netherlands at 30%. These variations reflect different organizational priorities. Saudi Arabia’s results align with broader national digital transformation initiatives, while European and Asian organizations emphasize careful evaluation and workforce preservation before scaling deployment.
“In Saudi Arabia, AI is being leveraged as a strategic advantage. The region’s willingness to embrace AI in cybersecurity is positioning it as a leading global hub, in line with initiatives including Saudi Vision 2030,” said Mazen Adnan Dohaji, Senior Vice President and General Manager, IMETA at Exabeam. “What stands out in the KSA is the improvements the region has already seen from AI adoption. Looking ahead, future investment will depend on closing the gap between operational success and the ability to clearly articulate financial or risk-reduction value at the executive level.”
Closing the Justification Gap
The cybersecurity industry is experiencing a rare period of budget abundance, creating a sustainability challenge. Security leaders are investing heavily in AI transformation while struggling to articulate its business value to boards and CFOs. This dynamic is not sustainable. Budget growth creates expectations, and organizations that cannot demonstrate clear value from AI investments risk seeing those budgets reduced if economic conditions shift.
Organizations that succeed will recognize that deployment is only part of the equation. They will develop new frameworks for measuring AI impact, create outcomes-based metrics that tie security performance directly to business resilience, and establish executive-ready communication that translates technical improvements into measurable business impact.
To access the full report, From Adoption to Accountability: The New Economics of AI in Cybersecurity, visit https://www.exabeam.com/from-adoption-to-accountability
Methodology
This report is based on research conducted by Sapio Research on behalf of Exabeam in December 2025. The survey captured insights from 750 IT decision-makers responsible for security in organizations with 500 or more employees. Respondents represented 12 countries across Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific and Middle East regions, spanning key sectors including technology, financial services, manufacturing, healthcare, retail, telecommunications and government.
About Exabeam
Exabeam is a leader in intelligence and automation that powers security operations for the world’s leading companies. As a global cybersecurity innovator, Exabeam provides security-focused and flexible solutions for faster, more accurate threat detection, investigation and response. Its technology enhances security operations center performance, optimizes workflows and accelerates time to resolution. With leadership in AI innovation and a proven track record in security information and event management and user behavior analytics, Exabeam empowers global security teams to combat cyberthreats, mitigate risk and streamline operations.
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Learn more at www.exabeam.com
Contacts
Cheyenne Wells
PR for Exabeam
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