Dual threat: Tackling data control and cybersecurity in the age of AI

In a volatile global economy, progressive companies do more than survive the impact. They’re transforming operations to thrive in it.

One way is by boldly grabbing onto AI, from generative to agentic. According to the latest KPMG Global CEO Outlook, seven in 10 CEOs say that AI is a top investment priority, and more than two-thirds are earmarking it for 10 to 20 percent of their budget.

But savvy leaders know that without trusted data and secured systems, the promises of AI are likely to fall flat.

In an HFS Research survey, conducted in collaboration with KPMG in the US, 64 percent of senior leaders point to data control as a top concern. Meanwhile, in the most recent KPMG US CEO Outlook, 82 percent of respondents say cybersecurity is the top threat to prosperity over the next three years.

Accelerating AI with managed services

As these pressures mount, many companies are learning the challenges of executing an AI strategy with internal capabilities alone. Some are turning to managed services as a modernization engine.

In this model, providers help companies benefit from AI at scale, embed automation into operations, and realize value more quickly — thanks to built-in access to advanced technology and specialized talent. Managed services can answer the dual threat to AI success:

Cybersecurity

Effective AI requires a resilient architecture, and managed services keep pace with evolving cyber threats — by detecting and containing them faster, improving compliance, and reducing costs. And at a time when many organizations report a lack of essential cybersecurity skills, the best providers offer services that are AI-enabled but human-led, drawing from deep technical, industry and functional expertise.

Services can include detection and response, application security testing, identity and access management, and third-party risk management — packaged in multi-year subscriptions with predictable costs.
Data Control

According to the HFS Research survey, 64 percent of enterprises are “extremely” or “very” concerned about losing control over where there data is stored or processed. That’s especially true in cybersecurity, where there’s growing pressure to secure regulated data across borders while protecting against threats.

In response, leading managed services providers do not take ownership or maintenance of client data, nor do they move it to another location for monitoring or other services. Instead, they offer a multi-tenant architecture in the cloud, where all data remains in a dedicated tenant — onshore in the client’s environment, in compliance with local data regulations.

By bridging the gap between ambitious AI goals and rigorous security, managed services do more than mitigate risk. They can build a foundation of trust and resilience for innovation.

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