AI Preparedness Shortcomings Spotted in OpenText Report

In a recent survey conducted by the Ponemon Institute, senior IT and security leaders from various sectors were polled in May 2025. The survey, titled "The Challenges to Ensuring Information Is Secure, Compliant and Ready for AI," was released in partnership with OpenText.

The findings of the survey reveal that 46% of respondents are currently developing a data security program and practice. However, the report also highlights several challenges that organizations face in their AI journey. One of the key challenges is insider risk, followed by proving return on investment (ROI) and managing security complexity.

The surveyed leaders represented various sectors, including financial services, healthcare, technology, and manufacturing. The respondents included CIOs, CISOs, and decision-makers for AI and security strategy.

The report also sheds light on the alignment between IT and security goals and AI strategy. Fewer than half (47%) of respondents reported that their organizations' IT and security goals are aligned with their AI strategy. Furthermore, 50% of respondents stated that their organizations have hired or are considering hiring a chief AI officer or chief digital officer.

Unstructured data is identified as a top contributor to information complexity. The report suggests that data governance is critical in ensuring information readiness for AI deployment. Strengthening encryption across data in storage, transit, and AI processing is also recommended.

Another challenge highlighted in the report is the paradox of AI, where it is seen as mission-critical, but most organizations aren't ready to support it due to issues with information readiness and security. Shannon Bell, chief digital officer at OpenText, stated that AI is mission-critical, but most organizations aren't ready to support it due to a lack of trusted, well-governed information.

GenAI adoption is growing, with 32% already using it and another 26% planning to within six months. Security operations (39%), employee productivity (36%), and software development (34%) are the top use cases. However, agentic AI is less common, with only 19% adoption and 16% planning to adopt in the next six months. Just 31% rate it as highly important to business strategy.

The report also emphasizes the importance of protecting sensitive data by knowing where it resides, who can access it, and how it is used, supported by strong access controls and anomaly detection tools. Implementing responsible AI practices such as data cleansing, governance, employee training, and bias checks is also crucial.

Despite the challenges, 57% of respondents rate AI adoption as a top priority, and 54% are confident in demonstrating ROI. However, 53% find it very or extremely difficult to reduce AI security and legal risks. Only 43% are very or highly confident in measuring return on investment for securing and managing information assets.

The research highlights information management as a critical factor for bridging the gap between innovation and trust. The report concludes that addressing these challenges is essential for organizations to fully leverage the potential of AI and ensure a strong security posture.

It is worth noting that the report does not identify specific companies from different industries that participated in the global May 2025 Ponemon Institute report on AI security, compliance, and information readiness. Nonetheless, the findings provide valuable insights into the current state of AI adoption and the challenges organizations face in ensuring information security and readiness for AI deployment.