As organizations across India accelerate AI adoption and digital transformation initiatives, many remain unprepared to address the security risks that come with them. According to a new survey conducted by Akamai during its 2026 Partner Summit in India, senior business and technology leaders across partner organizations, including CEOs, CTOs, vice presidents, business heads, and cybersecurity specialists, are increasingly concerned about the cybersecurity challenges customers are facing amid accelerated digital transformation and AI adoption. With increasingly sophisticated cyberthreats, rising API attacks, and growing challenges in securing AI-driven environments, organizations are under increasing pressure to balance innovation with resilience.
API attacks have emerged as the leading cybersecurity concern: 79% of respondents cited API attacks as one of the top cyberthreats customers are most concerned about.
Cyberthreats are becoming more sophisticated: 42% cited evolving attack techniques as the biggest security challenge customers are facing today.
AI security readiness remains low: Only 17% believe organizations are very well prepared to manage security risks associated with AI adoption, highlighting a significant preparedness gap.
Data privacy concerns dominate AI risk discussions: 70% identified data privacy and leakage as the top security concern emerging from AI adoption, reflecting growing apprehension around sensitive enterprise data exposure and governance risks.
As cloud adoption and AI implementation continue to grow across industries, security teams are facing growing pressure to protect a rapidly expanding attack surface. APIs now serve as the backbone of modern applications, cloud services, and AI ecosystems, making them an increasingly attractive target for cybercriminals.
The survey findings also point to a growing disconnect between AI adoption and organizational preparedness. While businesses are moving quickly to integrate AI into workflows, customer experiences, and decision-making processes, security frameworks and governance practices are struggling to keep pace. The results point to a critical challenge for enterprises: securing data, applications, and AI systems without slowing innovation.
“India is rapidly emerging as one of the world’s leading AI-driven economies, with organizations embracing AI across sectors to transform customer experiences and business operations,” said Mitesh Jain, Regional Vice President for Akamai India. “However, security readiness is not advancing at the same speed. Strengthening governance, data protection, and risk management will be essential to unlocking AI’s full potential safely and responsibly.”
As businesses continue to modernize their infrastructure and expand digital ecosystems, cybersecurity is expected to remain a strategic priority. Organizations that can effectively secure their APIs, protect sensitive data, and establish robust AI governance frameworks will be better positioned to innovate with confidence while managing an increasingly complex threat landscape.
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