Prophet Security Survey Reveals Widespread AI Adoption in Security Operations, Calls for Readiness Assessment

A recent survey conducted by Prophet Security and published by The Hacker News indicates a significant shift toward AI integration within Security Operations Centers (SOCs). The State of AI in Security Operations 2026 survey, which polled more than 250 CISOs, SOC leaders, and practitioners, found that 40% of security teams are already using AI every day and an additional 56% are currently testing AI capabilities. Only 4% of respondents reported having no plans to adopt AI.

The report emphasizes that the next critical decision for teams currently testing AI is whether their own SOC is ready for AI agent deployment. AI SOC readiness encompasses two primary components: whether a SOC has the necessary infrastructure, data quality, and processes in place, and whether skilled personnel are available to manage and oversee AI-driven security operations.

The survey outlines a maturity framework designed to help organizations assess their preparedness before fully deploying AI agents. This framework likely addresses areas such as data readiness, alert fatigue management, integration with existing ticketing and SOAR platforms, and the establishment of human-in-the-loop oversight mechanisms. The findings suggest that high awareness of AI adoption coexists with a need for structured readiness assessment to avoid potential operational risks.

The survey results underscore that AI is becoming a central component of modern SOC operations, but success depends on careful evaluation of organizational readiness rather than rapid, unplanned deployment.