Perspectives on Cyber Risk 2026: The AI edition

2 minute read  07.08.2026 Paul Kallenbach, Chelsea Gordon, Sam Burrett, Caru Froneman, Wanda Kuai

MinterEllison's 11th annual Perspectives on Cyber Risk report, outlines how Australia's senior leaders see cyber risk, now that AI is redefining it.  

AI is reshaping the cyber landscape

For over a decade, we have asked Australian decision-makers the same question: how do we run a digitally-enabled business when those trying to compromise it are getting faster and more capable? In 2026, AI is rapidly changing how attacks are launched and how they are defended against a backdrop of heightened legal obligations and regulatory scrutiny.

 

What the data tells us

 

Icon block

64% had a direct cyber incident in the last 12 months.

Icon block

57% were hit through a supplier or vendor.

Icon block

98% have adopted AI within 24 months.

Icon block

#2 AI-enabled threats are now named the leading cyber concern by 25% of survey respondents, second only to ransomware at 30%

 

 

Three leading themes take the lead

 

Where to from here

The report sets out eight characteristics of resilient organisations and the board and executive priorities for the year ahead from stress-testing against AI-era scenarios to designing privilege into the response from day one.

 

Download Perspectives on Cyber Risk 2026

 

 

Meet the authors

Interested to learn more about the details discussed in this year's report, contact the authors for a confidential briefing.

Contact

Tags

eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJuYW1laWQiOiI0MDI3NTFlNi1mYjA0LTQzZGItODA3Yi1mM2EzY2M2NWMxNmQiLCJyb2xlIjoiQXBpVXNlciIsIm5iZiI6MTc4NjExMDE5MywiZXhwIjoxNzg2MTExMzkzLCJpYXQiOjE3ODYxMTAxOTMsImlzcyI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lm1pbnRlcmVsbGlzb24uY29tL2FydGljbGVzL3BlcnNwZWN0aXZlcy1vbi1jeWJlci1yaXNrLTIwMjYtdGhlLWFpLWVkaXRpb24iLCJhdWQiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5taW50ZXJlbGxpc29uLmNvbS9hcnRpY2xlcy9wZXJzcGVjdGl2ZXMtb24tY3liZXItcmlzay0yMDI2LXRoZS1haS1lZGl0aW9uIn0.pfMpfeV4X19EJMi_fsVn_WUTG3GRWQILvSLOxjYZurs
https://www.minterellison.com/articles/perspectives-on-cyber-risk-2026-the-ai-edition