A new study from WhiteHat Security based on a survey of industry professionals at the RSA Conference has found that while more than half of organizations use artificial intelligence or machine learning in their security systems, nearly 60% are still more confident in cyberthreat findings verified by humans.

The survey responses are said to reflect the need for security organizations to incorporate both AI and human-centric offerings, especially in the application security business.

AI and machine learning have provided several advantages for cybersecurity professionals overall the past several years, especially in the face of the technology talent gap. Some 45% of respondents said in the survey that their companies lack sufficiently staffed cybersecurity teams.

More than 70% of respondents agreed that AI-based tools made their cybersecurity teams more efficient by eliminating more than 55% of mundane tasks. Nearly 40% of respondents also said that their stress levels have decreased since incorporating AI tools into their security stack, and an additional 65% claim these tools allow them to focus more closely on cyberattack mitigation and preventive measures than before.

“With the growing cyberthreat landscape, it is imperative for security tools and organizations to have a combination of both AI and the human element so there can be continuous risk evaluation with verified results,”Anthony Bettini, chief technology officer at WhiteHat Security, said in a statement. “For all its advantages, AI is still heavily reliant on humans to be successful. Human monitoring and continuous input are required if AI software is to successfully learn and adapt. This is why the human element will never be completely eradicated from the security process.”

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