CEOs shift cybersecurity priorities as AI emerges as a top risk

August 16, 2026 2 min read

Among highly resilient organizations, 99% report active involvement from senior executives and boards in cybersecurity, reflecting its growing role as a business priority.

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Artificial intelligence is reshaping CEOs’ cybersecurity priorities as digital threats move beyond traditional risks and increasingly include new vulnerabilities associated with the technology.

A World Economic Forum and Accenture study shows that the most resilient organizations are already shifting their focus toward external risks involving artificial intelligence, third parties and supply chains.

Artificial intelligence is transforming how CEOs view cybersecurity, as the most resilient organizations increasingly identify vulnerabilities associated with the technology as their top risk.

That is according to a study by the World Economic Forum and Accenture, which highlights a shift in senior executives’ priorities around digital threats and business risks. So far this year, Colombia has recorded 43,514 reports of cybercrime, according to open data from the Ministry of Information and Communications Technologies (MinTIC).

The study identifies cyber fraud and phishing among CEOs’ leading concerns, overtaking traditional threats such as ransomware. However, among organizations with higher levels of resilience, AI-related vulnerabilities now rank first on the risk agenda.

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”The most resilient companies already understand that cybersecurity is no longer solely a technology issue. It has become a strategic business priority with a direct impact on operational continuity, reputation and decision-making,” said Ariel Goldenstein, Cybersecurity Lead at Accenture Colombia.

The analysis also reveals significant differences based on organizational preparedness. While less mature companies remain focused on internal risks such as fraud and phishing, more resilient organizations are concentrating their efforts on external threats, particularly those involving artificial intelligence, third parties and supply chains.

New risk priorities

As companies become more resilient, their CEOs are moving beyond an exclusive focus on internal problems and paying greater attention to external risks.

The study found that 78% identify supply chains and third parties as the biggest challenge to strengthening cybersecurity.

This perspective is also influencing business decisions. Among the most resilient organizations, 70% integrate security into their procurement processes, while 59% prioritize assessments of supplier maturity.

Less prepared companies continue to face structural barriers. A lack of financial resources (63%) and a shortage of cybersecurity skills (56%) remain their leading challenges to strengthening cybersecurity capabilities.

Emerging threats

The rapid growth of AI-powered tools is also increasing the sophistication of digital threats, including automated fraud, impersonation attacks and vulnerabilities involving technology providers.

In this environment, senior leadership involvement becomes increasingly important. According to the study, 99% of executives surveyed at highly resilient organizations report active involvement by their senior leaders and boards in cybersecurity.

Within this group, 52% say board members receive regular cybersecurity updates, 48% report that senior executives are actively involved in the function, and 45% say their boards have a clearly defined role in overseeing it.

”Resilient companies demonstrate strong involvement from their senior leaders and boards in cybersecurity,” Goldenstein concluded.

The cybersecurity conversation is no longer limited to technology. For organizations, the challenge is to make cybersecurity a component of corporate governance and business sustainability, with a direct bearing on strategic decisions, supplier management and operational continuity.