AI Is Working in the SOC. The Question Is Whether You Can Trust It.

New independent research from Omdia, based on 500 security professionals globally, reveals where AI is delivering measurable value in security operations - and why governance, transparency, and human expertise are becoming the defining challenges of what comes next.

0%

Report positive AI outcomes in security operations

0.0x

Executive leaders are 1.6 times more likely than practitioners to be highly concerned about AI governance

0%

Say AI-enabled MDR has a clear advantage over traditional MDR services

Key takeaways

  • AI is working in the SOC. Here's what separates the leaders from the rest.
  • Executive leaders are 1.6x more worried about AI governance than their own teams. That gap has a cost.
  • 86% want AI-enabled MDR. What they actually demand: transparency, human expertise, accountability.
  • The real risks: over-reliance, eroding analyst skills, black-box decisions, and a boardroom that's watching.
Get report
rapid7-omnia-report-2026-cover.png

Security teams are no longer asking whether AI belongs in the SOC. Most have already answered that question.

The harder conversation - the one this research is designed to help you have - is about what responsible AI adoption actually looks like. Who is accountable when AI makes a decision? How do you maintain analyst judgment while scaling automation? What should you expect from an MDR provider that claims to be AI-enabled?

Omdia surveyed 500 security professionals across North America, EMEA, and Asia-Pacific to understand how organizations are navigating those questions right now. The findings offer an independent benchmark - on where AI is working, where caution is warranted, and where the market is heading next.

Get report

About the research

Independent research conducted by Omdia (TechTarget, Inc.), commissioned by Rapid7. Survey of 500 qualified security professionals at 95% confidence interval, conducted February–March 2026. Respondents span North America (40%), EMEA (30%), and Asia-Pacific (30%), across manufacturing, technology, finance, business services, and retail. Includes CSOs and CISOs (41%), security operations management (40%), security engineers (13%), and threat hunters and incident responders (3%).