Oceania’s Tech Pros Brace for AI Risks, Rules, and Resilience
▼ Summary
– AI-driven cyber threats and deepfakes are the top concern for 67% of Oceania’s tech leaders in 2026, with ransomware and supply chain vulnerabilities also major worries.
– Generative AI and large language models are the leading technology trends expected to shape organizations, but only 8% feel very prepared to manage AI risks with strong governance.
– Regulatory compliance is the top focus area for 58% of organizations, with most professionals believing regulation will drive business growth and advance digital trust.
– Workforce challenges persist, with 33% of Australian organizations planning to hire for digital trust roles but expecting difficulty finding qualified candidates, while 40% have no hiring plans.
– Nearly a quarter of Australian respondents say increasing investment in emerging technology risk management would most improve their organization’s digital trust approach in 2026.
Technology leaders across Australia and New Zealand are preparing for a challenging 2026, with artificial intelligence risks, sophisticated cyber threats, and increasing regulatory demands dominating their strategic priorities. According to recent survey data, these professionals face mounting pressure to secure their organizations while navigating rapid technological change and persistent workforce shortages.
A significant majority of Oceania’s technology professionals—67 percent—identify AI-powered cyber threats and convincing deepfakes as their primary concern for the coming year. Close behind, nearly half worry about catastrophic damage from undetected security breaches, while supply chain vulnerabilities trouble 41 percent of respondents. Additional pressing issues include cloud configuration errors and unauthorized technology use (38%) along with growing regulatory complexity (36%).
These findings come from a comprehensive pulse poll examining emerging technology risks and priorities among digital trust professionals specializing in cybersecurity, IT audit, governance, and compliance.
Generative AI and large language models stand out as the dominant technology trend expected to influence organizations throughout the region, with 64% of professionals highlighting their significance. General artificial intelligence and machine learning follow closely at 60%, while data privacy and supply chain risk each captured attention from 34% of respondents. Despite this strong focus on AI adoption, only a tiny fraction—8%—of Australian organizations feel thoroughly prepared to manage associated risks through established governance and training programs. The majority (59%) report moderate preparedness, while nearly a third acknowledge being inadequately prepared.
An industry ambassador noted that while organizations in the region are advancing with AI implementation, the divide between technological innovation and proper oversight continues to widen. With such a small percentage expressing full confidence in their readiness for generative AI risks, she emphasized the critical need to balance experimentation with comprehensive governance frameworks.
In the cybersecurity domain, AI remains central to threat concerns. Professionals identified AI-driven social engineering (60%), ransomware and extortion campaigns (46%), and supply chain compromises (36%) as the most significant security challenges their organizations will confront next year.
Looking ahead to 2026, organizations have prioritized regulatory compliance (58%), business continuity and operational resilience (52%), and cloud migration coupled with security (48%) as their main focus areas. Most technology professionals view upcoming cyber regulations positively, with half believing these rules will stimulate business growth and 73% expecting them to enhance digital trust. Despite this optimistic outlook, one in four organizations currently have no intention of exploring governance, risk, and compliance tools in the coming year.
Beyond technological challenges, workforce issues create substantial pressure. Keeping pace with AI advancements, managing complex threats, and attracting and retaining skilled staff represent the top professional concerns for 2026. Workforce capability remains a sector-wide challenge, with only one-third of Australian organizations planning to hire for digital trust roles next year—and even those anticipate difficulty finding qualified candidates. Meanwhile, 40% have no hiring plans for these critical positions. Among organizations that do intend to hire, more than a third will expand their recruitment efforts compared to 2025, while nearly half remain uncertain about their hiring direction.
When asked what single change would most strengthen their organization’s approach to digital trust, nearly a quarter of Australian respondents pointed to increased investment in emerging technology risk management. Other prioritized improvements included developing a proactive compliance culture (17%) and modernizing outdated systems and infrastructure (16%).
A senior board member observed that security and risk teams throughout Oceania are operating under extreme pressure. They confront relentless AI-powered threats, stricter regulations, and rising executive expectations, all while facing significant challenges in recruiting and retaining qualified personnel. He described the situation as a perfect storm requiring stronger leadership focus on capability development, team wellbeing, and risk management. Still, he found it encouraging that many organizations recognize these gaps and are beginning to build long-term resilience through improved governance, strategic investment, and workforce development initiatives.
Based on the survey results, experts recommend five key actions to strengthen digital trust in the coming year. They also urge leaders to transition from reactive compliance to proactive governance, integrating AI ethics, risk management, and security considerations into every level of organizational decision-making.
(Source: ITWire Australia)
