CISOs Are Focused on Outcomes. Can Agentic AI Deliver?

As artificial intelligence continues to evolve, CISOs face a pressing question: Can AI do more than automate tasks and summarize data? Can it help security teams detect threats faster, reduce analyst burnout, and prove the value of the security operations center (SOC)?

Our recent white paper, A CISO’s Guide to the New Era of Agentic AI, explores how a new class of AI tools—agentic AI—can align with four of the top strategic priorities facing CISOs today. Here’s a closer look at what matters most to security leaders and where AI agents can help.

The Volume of Attacks Is Beyond Human Capacity

CISOs know that modern threats, especially those generated by AI, move too fast and mutate too often for traditional detection methods to keep up. Existing threat intelligence feeds and rule-based systems often fall short when faced with novel or signatureless attacks.

That’s why mean time to respond/remediate (MTTR) is a key metric. And while user and entity behavior analytics (UEBA) helps with detection, CISOs are increasingly looking to AI to accelerate investigation and response. By automatically asking the right questions of the right data and queuing up next steps, AI agents can close the response gap.

The Data Is There but It’s Hard to Act On

Enterprise environments generate billions of logs every day. Buried in that data are the signals SOC teams need to detect and respond to threats. Collecting data isn’t the challenge. Translating it into action is.

AI agents have the potential to assist Tier 1 analysts by interpreting logs, surfacing relevant anomalies, and proposing response playbooks without escalating every incident to senior staff. As organizations weigh the right level of autonomy for AI, many CISOs will favor solutions that suggest next steps without taking unilateral action.

The Talent Shortage Isn’t Going Away

Burnout continues to plague the SOC. Analysts face overwhelming alert volumes, limited career paths, and a relentless pace. In fact, 84% of cybersecurity professionals report experiencing burnout and 50% say it’s the reason they quit.

Agentic AI can help by offloading repetitive tasks like log parsing, evidence gathering, and timeline creation, giving analysts more time to focus on high-value investigations. And enabling Tier 1 analysts to operate more like Tier 3s can mitigate staffing challenges without compromising performance.

The SOC Must Prove Its Value

Security operations often run behind the scenes, but CISOs are increasingly asked to show tangible impact. That means tracking key performance metrics, demonstrating use case coverage, and communicating outcomes to stakeholders.

AI agents can support this shift by surfacing insights on SOC performance, identifying gaps, and even generating executive-ready reports. When embedded into platforms like New-Scale Fusion, these capabilities help CISOs manage the business of security, not just the technology.

Agentic AI isn’t a cure-all, but it offers a meaningful path forward for security leaders focused on results. Whether you’re trying to improve detection, retain top talent, or justify your SOC investment, AI agents have the potential to help.

Download our white paper to explore how agentic AI can support your top priorities and learn what to look for when evaluating AI-powered solutions.