Rapid7-Omdia Research Reveals AI Governance Gap as Executive Security Leaders Show 1.6x Greater Concern Than Practitioners
Rhea-AI Summary
Rapid7 (NASDAQ: RPD) released Omdia-commissioned global research showing that AI is now widely embedded in security operations centers, shifting focus from adoption to governance and accountability. In a survey of 500 security professionals, executive security leaders were 1.6x more likely than operational managers to be highly concerned about how AI vendors handle organizational security data, signaling a governance and oversight gap. The study found 97% of respondents see AI positively impacting security operations and 98% of AI users report reduced alert fatigue, while 92% say human oversight remains essential and 86% believe AI-enabled managed detection and response providers offer an advantage over traditional MDR, positioning governance and transparency as key differentiators in AI-driven security.
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Market reaction after AI governance report: RPD -6.72%
Following this news, RPD has declined 6.72%, reflecting a notable negative market reaction. Argus tracked a trough of -6.1% from its starting point during tracking. Our momentum scanner has triggered 27 alerts so far, indicating elevated trading interest and price volatility. The stock is currently trading at $12.48. Trading volume is elevated at 2.4x the average, suggesting increased selling activity.
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Key Figures
Previous AI Reports
| Date | Event | Sentiment | 24h Move | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 12 | Threat report | Negative | -1.3% | Threat report highlighted ransomware growth, older vulnerabilities, and AI-enabled malware. |
| Oct 29 | AI risk insights | Positive | -3.4% | AI-generated risk intelligence expanded vulnerability prioritization and remediation workflows. |
| Jul 29 | AI platform launch | Positive | -0.3% | Incident Command launched AI-native SIEM capabilities for detection, investigation, and response. |
| Jul 18 | AI marketplace availability | Positive | -0.1% | Rapid7 products became available in AWS Marketplace's AI Agents and Tools category. |
| Jun 24 | Agentic AI launch | Positive | +0.8% | Agentic AI workflows entered the SOC with reported alert-triage accuracy and time savings. |
24h Move is the share-price change in the day after each event; other market factors may also have contributed.
AI-tagged announcements averaged a -0.87% move, with three of four positive product or platform events showing negative reactions.
Key Terms
ai governance technical
security operations centers technical
alert fatigue technical
managed detection and response technical
AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.
Global study finds AI has become mainstream in security operations, shifting the conversation from adoption to governance and accountability
BOSTON, Aug. 12, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rapid7 (NASDAQ: RPD), a global leader in AI-powered managed cybersecurity operations, today released new research conducted by Omdia, a division of TechTarget, Inc., revealing that while AI has earned widespread trust inside security operations centers (SOCs), executive security leaders are significantly more concerned than frontline practitioners about how AI is governed.
The global survey of 500 security professionals found executive security leaders are 1.6 times more likely than operational security managers to report being highly concerned about how AI vendors handle their organization’s security data. The findings suggest AI has crossed the operational adoption threshold, with attention now shifting toward transparency, accountability, and governance.
Among organizations already using AI in production, nearly all respondents report positive operational results, reinforcing that AI has become a core component of modern security operations rather than an emerging technology.
Key findings from the report include:
- Executive leaders are 1.6x more likely than practitioners to express strong concern about AI governance, signaling a growing disconnect between operational confidence and executive oversight.
97% report AI is having a positive impact on security operations, while98% of organizations already using AI say it helps reduce alert fatigue.92% agree human oversight remains essential, underscoring that organizations view AI as augmenting, not replacing, security analysts.86% believe managed detection and response (MDR) providers that integrate AI offer an advantage over traditional MDR services.
“The conversation has changed,” said Dejan Decklich, Chief Product and Technology Officer at Rapid7. “Security teams are no longer asking whether AI belongs in the SOC; they’re asking how to govern it responsibly. Organizations want AI that helps analysts move faster and work more effectively, but they also expect transparency, accountability, and human expertise to remain central to security operations.”
The research shows AI has become firmly embedded in day-to-day security operations. Organizations report AI is helping reduce alert fatigue, automate repetitive work, and improve analyst productivity – evidence that AI has moved from experimentation into operational deployment. Now, rather than debating whether AI delivers value, security teams are increasingly focused on how to deploy it responsibly and effectively.
Governance Is Becoming the Next Competitive Differentiator
While operational teams report strong confidence in AI, executive leaders are taking a broader view. The study found executive security leaders are substantially more concerned than frontline practitioners about how AI vendors manage sensitive security data. This is a clear signal that governance has become a board-level issue alongside operational performance.
Respondents also identified transparency into AI decision-making, visibility into model performance, and strong data privacy protections among their top expectations for AI providers, reflecting growing demand for responsible AI rather than simply more automation.
“Our research shows organizations have largely accepted AI as part of modern security operations,” said Dave Gruber, Principal Analyst at Omdia. “The next phase of adoption will be defined by trust. Security leaders increasingly want solutions that combine AI-driven efficiency with transparency, governance, and human expertise.”
Smarter, Faster, Still Human: Rethinking the Modern SOC
The findings also reinforce that organizations are not looking to remove humans from security operations. Instead, respondents overwhelmingly support AI as a tool that enhances analyst productivity while preserving human oversight for judgement, validation, and decision-making. That expectation extends to managed security providers, with
Rapid7 combines AI-powered capabilities with expert-led managed detection and response through the Rapid7 Command Platform, helping organizations accelerate investigations, reduce alert fatigue, and strengthen security outcomes while maintaining transparency and human accountability.
The full report, AI, SOC Transformation, and How AI-Enabled MDR Providers Are Helping Accelerate Velocity, is available at
https://www.rapid7.com/lp/ai-in-the-soc-omdia-report-2026/
About the Research
AI, SOC Transformation, and How AI-Enabled MDR Providers Are Helping Accelerate Velocity was conducted by Omdia (TechTarget, Inc.) and commissioned by Rapid7. The study surveyed 500 qualified security professionals at a
About Rapid7
Rapid7, Inc. (NASDAQ: RPD) is a global leader in AI-powered managed cybersecurity operations, trusted to advance organizations’ cyber resilience. Open and extensible, the Rapid7 Command Platform integrates security data, enriching it with AI, threat intelligence, and 25 years of expertise and innovation to reduce risk and disrupt attackers. As a recognized leader in preemptive managed detection and response (MDR), Rapid7 unifies exposure and detection to transform the cybersecurity operations of more than 11,500 customers worldwide. For more information, visit our website, check out our blog, or follow us on LinkedIn or X.
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