Executive Summary
A Sage-commissioned IDC study finds SMBs deploy AI faster than they secure it: 44% have no AI-specific controls and 45% lack AI security expertise.
What Happened
Research commissioned by Sage and conducted by IDC finds that small and medium-sized businesses are deploying AI tools faster than they are implementing corresponding security measures.[7] The study reports that 84% of micro businesses are unprepared or only just beginning to address AI-related threats, with 44% lacking any specific security controls for AI applications and 45% of SMBs citing insufficient AI security expertise as a key barrier.[7] One in two SMBs experienced a cyber incident or data breach in the past year, with AI-enabled phishing, vulnerability exploitation, and deepfakes among leading concerns, underscoring data leakage and governance risks in AI adoption.[7]
Vulnerability / Attack Technique
SMB AI security gap (survey)
Technical Mechanism
Survey findings.
AI Security Category
LLM02:2025 Sensitive Information Disclosure
Relevant Frameworks
RealGround Analysis
Most SMBs have no AI-specific controls. RealGround analysis: start with an inventory and an approved-tools list.
Recommended Controls
- Inventory AI tools
- Add basic controls for AI applications
Related RealGround Service
AI Security Readiness Assessment · or start with the free AI Agent Security Scanner.
Sources
SecurityBrief: https://securitybrief.news/story/smbs-adopt-ai-faster-than-they-secure-it-sage-says
Summary and analysis written by RealGround from the source above; last updated 2026-10-18.