AI-enabled discovery of cyber vulnerabilities emerged as the most critical emerging risk facing organisations worldwide in the second quarter of 2026, according to Gartner Quarterly Emerging Risks Report for second quarter of 2026.
The new 13-page report by the business and technology insights company, compiles insights and perspectives from enterprise risk management (ERM) leaders, risk professionals, auditors and senior executives on emerging and future risks.
A media release issued by Gartner on 25 August 2026 said, “The report includes the views of 316 senior executives and risk managers across a range of sectors and regions and the survey was conducted in April and May 2026.
“While many organisations express confidence in their preparedness for AI-driven cyber threats, the speed and sophistication of AI innovation mean that vulnerabilities can be discovered and weaponised faster than ever, requiring organisations to be more agile and proactive in their response.”
To maintain true preparedness, the company has recommended four ways for organisations to begin updating their cyber response and broader risk management assumptions:
• Recalibrate risk impact assessments to account for amplified exposures
• Update risk appetite to reflect the ongoing nature of vulnerability discovery
• Strengthen third-party risk controls to ensure vendors are not introducing new risks
• Accelerate cyber response strategies to enable faster patching and automated remediation to keep pace with the speed of AI-driven threats
Gartner Risk & Audit Practice Senior Principal Analyst, Research Kevin Mercado said, “The ability of AI to increase the efficiency and accessibility of vulnerability discovery is making it increasingly difficult for traditional risk management approaches to keep pace. Without corresponding improvements in governance, security operations, and remediation capabilities, AI-driven vulnerability discovery may outpace organisational defenses, increasing the likelihood of significant cyber incidents and operational disruption.”
Beyond cyber vulnerabilities, the report also highlights the prevalence of agentic AI, which involves autonomous systems that operate beyond organisational oversight, and the growing threat to information integrity posed by unreliable data and AI-generated content. In addition, many organisations continue to face significant gaps in workforce preparedness for AI-related technologies, while geopolitical shocks remain a disruptive force in global energy supply chains.