91% of cybersecurity professionals are planning to invest more in threat intelligence in 2026 to help shore up defences against the growing risk of AI-assisted cyberattacks, according to a new report from Recorded Future.
A survey of over 600 cybersecurity professionals found that organisations are also prioritising threat intelligence amidst concerns about state-sponsored cyberattacks and the risks of serious disruption caused by cybercriminals.
Three quarters (76%) of organisations invest over £188,000 (USD$250,000) in Threat Intelligence (TI) per year, with this set to increase in 2026.
68% of professionals utilise TI to enhance existing security tools, while 65% use insights from TI programmes to guide the purchasing of security tech.
Further data from the 2025 State of Threat Intelligence report shows 58% utilise knowledge of the threat landscape to help guide business risk assessment. Insight gained from proactively monitoring cyberthreats is used by a third (32%) to inform daily decision making.
Richard LaTulip, a Field Chief Information Security Officer at Recorded Future, commented: “AI has lowered the barrier to entry for cybercriminals, enabling them to scale the speed, volume and frequency of attacks. This is occurring against a backdrop of increasingly sophisticated state-sponsored cyberthreats and high-profile ransomware attacks that can disrupt businesses and markets for weeks and months.
“Organisations realise cyberthreats are constantly shifting and want to be better informed about what they are up against. This is driving investment in threat intelligence, with cybersecurity evolving from a reactive, defensive approach to a proactive, holistic strategy that better informs risk management and security.”
Over half (54%) of cybersecurity professionals reported that TI programmes help to improve threat detection and response times, while 50% noted improved security team efficiencies and 40% saw a reduction in the number of incidents. 37% found they are able to better prioritise security efforts.
Richard concluded: “Threat intelligence programmes are helping cybersecurity teams to avoid burnout. Rather than being overwhelmed by constant threats, professionals can prioritise the highest risks and concentrate on addressing these before they materialise into full-blown attacks. Budget, time and resource can be better managed, while also improving the speed and effectiveness of incident response.”
