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Cisco’s 2026 survey found that industrial cybersecurity was the second-most-selected priority for AI investment in industrial operations, behind process automation and efficiency. That is a ranking of respondents’ choices—not a recommended budget split, a share of spending, or proof that any particular security product improves outcomes.
What did industrial professionals prioritize for AI investment?
Cisco asked, “What are your top priority areas for AI investment in industrial operations?” Respondents could select up to three options. The percentages therefore show how many respondents selected each priority; they do not add up to a budget allocation.
| Priority selected | Share of respondents | Rank among listed priorities |
|---|---|---|
| Process automation / efficiency | 41% | 1 |
| Industrial cybersecurity | 32% | 2 |
| Supply chain / logistics optimization | 30% | 3 |
| Automated quality inspection | 29% | 4 |
| Energy optimization / sustainability | 26% | 5 |
| Predictive maintenance | 22% | 6 |
These figures come from Cisco’s 2026 global survey of more than 1,000 industrial professionals and OT decision-makers across 19 countries and 21 industrial sectors, conducted with Sapio Research. Cisco announced the findings on April 7, 2026. See Cisco’s announcement of the 2026 State of Industrial AI research.
Why cybersecurity and network readiness matter to industrial AI
Industrial AI systems depend on networks connecting equipment, sensors, edge computing and business systems. In Cisco’s survey, 97% of respondents said AI workloads are expected to affect industrial network requirements, and 96% said wireless networking is essential to enabling AI in their operations. These are respondents’ views about requirements, not measurements of network performance.
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Security was described both as a condition for readiness and as a challenge: 98% said cybersecurity is foundational for AI-ready infrastructure, while 40% cited it as the biggest obstacle to scaling AI. At the same time, 85% expected AI to improve their cybersecurity posture. That last figure records an expectation; it does not establish that AI deployments have already delivered improved security.
Cisco’s senior vice president and general manager Vikas Butaney said, “At this stage, success is no longer determined by models alone, but by whether networks, security, and teams are ready to support AI at the edge, in motion, and at scale.” This is Cisco executive commentary, separate from the survey results. The company’s overview is available in its April 7, 2026 announcement.
What organizations can assess before investing
The survey does not prescribe a spending mix or compare vendors. As an editorial framework, organizations can evaluate investments against their operational risks and constraints rather than treating the ranking as a shopping list.
- OT visibility: Determine whether security teams can identify and monitor assets across both legacy and newer operational technology. Asset visibility and industrial threat monitoring can help teams understand what needs protection.
- Segmentation and enforcement: Assess whether the network can separate systems appropriately and enforce access controls without disrupting safety-critical or uptime-sensitive operations.
- Network fit: Check reliability, latency, wireless coverage, edge-computing needs, power, and interoperability with installed equipment. A network refresh should address actual deployment requirements.
- IT/OT coordination: Clarify who owns assets, monitors alerts, responds to incidents, and approves changes. Shared visibility and incident workflows are organizational requirements as well as technical ones.
- Evidence of results: Define how the organization will measure security risk reduction and operational outcomes, and compare the deployment and maintenance burden against those measures.
Cisco presents network modernization, asset visibility, segmentation and IT/OT coordination as parts of its own approach. Its AI-ready industrial networking overview describes wired and wireless connectivity, an expanded Industrial Ethernet portfolio, unified management and assurance, and integrated cybersecurity features. These are vendor descriptions, not an independent comparison or proof that a particular product fits every plant.
How cybersecurity fits alongside other priorities
Cybersecurity ranked second, but the other selections show that industrial organizations are weighing AI across operations as well. Logistics and supply chains, quality inspection, energy use and predictive maintenance all appeared among the survey’s priorities. An investment decision should connect the use case to the organization’s own risks, operational goals and existing infrastructure; Cisco’s survey does not establish comparative return on investment or an ideal allocation among these areas.
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