Cybersecurity leaders face “uncharacterised territory” as the rise of autonomous AI agents and post-quantum threats demand a radical shift in risk management.
The convergence of autonomous “agentic” AI, heightened geopolitical tensions, and extreme regulatory volatility is set to redefine the global cybersecurity landscape in 2026.
According to the latest insights from Gartner, Inc., cybersecurity leaders are entering a period of unprecedented change that will test the resilience of even the most mature organisations.
“Cybersecurity leaders are navigating unchartered territory this year,” said Alex Michaels, Director Analyst at Gartner, during the briefing in Bangkok. “The speed of change demands a total departure from traditional risk management, shifting focus instead towards resilience and adaptive resource allocation.”
Gartner identified six pivotal trends that will dominate the executive agenda over the next 12 months:
1. The Rise of Agentic AI
As employees and developers increasingly adopt AI agents, new attack surfaces are emerging. The proliferation of “vibe coding” and low-code platforms has led to an explosion of unmanaged AI agents. Gartner warns that without robust oversight, these autonomous actors could lead to significant regulatory breaches and unsecured code vulnerabilities.