Dell Technologies today announced the results of a survey conducted from August to September on corporate AI and generative AI utilization and associated security risks. The survey targeted small-to-medium businesses (SMBs) and large enterprises with 300 or more employees, gathering 815 valid responses. The findings revealed that while the use of AI and generative AI is expanding, 84.7% of respondents believe "their company's security risks are increasing," and 78.5% have experienced generative AI-related security issues in the past year. As enterprises increasingly adopt AI, there is an urgent need to re-evaluate security measures, with a focus on endpoint defense.
The survey found that 95.7% of companies are utilizing generative AI in some form, indicating its growing integration into tasks such as document creation, information gathering, and data analysis. Conversely, top concerns included confidential information leakage, unintended operations by AI agents, and compliance violations. The most anticipated starting point for damage expansion is the compromise of PCs and mobile devices, reflecting a recognition that AI-era risks extend beyond the cloud and applications to the everyday devices users interact with.
Consequently, 93.4% of respondents stated that the importance of endpoint security measures is "increasing," with 69.3% emphasizing the "importance" of defense, particularly in sub-OS areas like BIOS and firmware. Areas identified for reinforcement within the next two years prominently included malware and ransomware countermeasures, as well as token management and usage control for generative AI and AI agents. Furthermore, there is high interest in reliability verification during the procurement phase and supply chain security, indicating a growing trend to holistically review device design, procurement, and operation.
While 73% are highly aware of the impact of security measures on productivity, user burdens such as complex authentication and operations, decreased PC performance, and prolonged recovery times also emerged as challenges. Operationally, significant challenges include a shortage of personnel and difficulties with accountability, with over half of respondents agreeing with the idea of viewing PC refreshes not just as productivity investments but also as security investments. Dell Technologies' "Dell Trusted Workspace" is a solution that supports threat countermeasures across endpoints, networks, and the cloud, complementing the multi-layered defense and resilience required for enterprise IT in the AI era.
