Research shows growing concern among small and medium-sized businesses about AI-driven cyberattacks with 91% of respondents worried about the threat.
The WatchGuard study covered 842 IT and cybersecurity professionals at organizations with between two and 2,499 employees across 20 countries conducted in April 2026.
Survey found that 75% experienced at least one cyber incident in past year while 54% said they could not provide continuous 24/7 monitoring and response. The figures suggest mounting strain on internal security teams rather than lack of awareness. Many organizations believe they staff adequately but volume and pace of threats outgrew what those teams can manage alone.
Managed service providers become more central to that response. Nearly half of respondents, 48%, said they already rely on MSPs to support their internal teams suggesting outsourced security shifts from transactional service to strategic partnership. Experts believe overwhelming majority of attacks happen at SMB level because cybercriminals get away with it.
The study also shows how artificial intelligence shapes the way companies buy security services. Some 44% of organizations said they willing to pay more for AI-powered detection and response indicating growing demand for tools shortening response times easing pressure on internal staff. Those expectations change relationship between customers and external providers.
As WatchGuard puts it:
The findings point to a fundamental change in how cybersecurity is delivered. As threats grow more complex and continuous, organizations are moving away from fragmented tools and reactive approaches toward integrated, always-on security services.
Traditional measures such as uptime and service delivery give way to demands for faster incident detection and response. Organizations now seek more proactive threat prevention, lower operational complexity, and improved resilience. Nearly half of respondents now view their provider as strategic advisor or proactive partner marking shift from transactional view of outsourced IT.
Survey results weighted to reflect global economic distribution include responses from United States, Canada, Mexico, Germany, United Kingdom, France, Australia, Colombia, and Argentina among other countries.
