Security is becoming a decisive factor in how much autonomy enterprises grant to AI systems, according to a new report.

Research released by Unisys on Tuesday found that nearly half of organizations experienced cybersecurity incidents in the past year, up from 17% the previous year. The IT services company surveyed 1,000 senior executives in March and April.

Unisys found that as enterprises advance AI deployment, executives rank cloud security as a top priority. More than nine out of ten respondents said cloud security capabilities significantly influence the level of autonomy they grant to AI systems.

These findings align with observations from Omdia, a sister company of Channel Dive. Omdia analysts noted in the company's Global Cybersecurity Market Summary (Q1 2026) released this month that AI adoption has become a structural tailwind across all market segments.

"AI deployment is expanding the attack surface, requiring additional security investment while driving demand for existing security categories," said Matthew Ball, principal analyst for enterprise and channels, and research analyst Srikara Upadhyaya in the report.

These analyses highlight two aspects of a major market shift. Respondents to the Unisys survey said security has a critical impact on AI deployment decisions, while Omdia found that AI is boosting demand for security services. Together, they indicate that partners who can help customers scale AI usage without significantly increasing risk will play a larger role.

Mike Thomson, CEO and president of Unisys, told Channel Dive that the rise in security incidents stems from multiple causes. First, threat actors have become more sophisticated and faster-moving, creating a much more severe risk environment than a year ago. Meanwhile, employees are using technology without training in secure software development, debugging, or identifying known vulnerabilities. Accidental exposure is expanding while protective measures remain underdeployed.

"As organizations increase their use of cloud, AI, and distributed digital environments, complexity is growing faster than many security programs can adapt," Thomson said.

This situation requires partners to do far more than clean up after incidents occur.

"Channel partners can help customers move away from a reactive approach to security by building resilience into cloud, infrastructure, and AI strategies from the start," Thomson said.

Such efforts include improving visibility, strengthening governance, modernizing security operations, and adopting a security-by-design approach.

"The goal is not just to reduce risk," Thomson said. "It's about creating an environment where organizations can confidently innovate and scale by working with partners you trust."

Long-term channel growth

More than half of Unisys respondents acknowledged that cloud security measures may limit agentic AI use in the short term, but are essential for long-term scalability.

For partners, these insights highlight opportunities that go far beyond selling security products. Customers need help deciding which data AI systems can access, how identities and permissions are managed, where workloads should run, and which operations require human oversight. They also need governance, monitoring, and security controls built in before project deployment, rather than added on after systems are running.

"One of the most encouraging findings in this year's research is that organizations increasingly view security as an enabler of innovation rather than an obstacle," Thomson said.

A vast majority of executives (96%) believe their cloud security approach helps them adopt new technologies faster than competitors, up from 60% in 2025. Thomson added that stronger security provides the trust, control, and resilience needed to adopt new technologies faster and at greater scale.

"Channel partners have the opportunity to help organizations put this mindset into practice," Thomson said. "By embedding security, governance, and data controls directly into cloud and AI strategies, partners can help customers innovate confidently while maintaining resilience."

IT service providers are well positioned to deliver security services.

According to Omdia, a significant portion of global cybersecurity spending already flows through partners. In Q1 2026, global cybersecurity technology spending reached $25.1 billion, up 11.9% year over year. Channels accounted for $22.88 billion, representing 91.3% of the market, with channel spending growing 11.8%.

Service-oriented partner categories recorded the strongest growth. Cybersecurity spending through service providers grew 15.9%, while systems integrators grew 15.8%. Spending through MSSPs grew 11.3%.

Customers direct the vast majority of cybersecurity spending to providers that sell, integrate, operate, and protect their IT environments. Omdia found that demand for these security services correlates with AI adoption. In Q1, data security spending grew 21%, endpoint security grew 12.2%, and network security grew 9.7%.

The surge in security incidents brings additional market traction for partners, but customers know the stakes. They don't need partners to stoke fear. Instead, they want providers that can deliver stronger security and support broader AI usage without relinquishing control over data, access, or accountability.

"The most successful organizations don't treat security as a standalone initiative," Thomson said. "They treat it as a foundation for growth, innovation, and long-term competitiveness."