Can Singapore firms close their cyber defence gap to counter AI threats?
As AI supercharges cyber threats, a new study reveals seven in 10 Singaporean boardrooms treat cybersecurity as an IT silo
The findings, published on Wednesday by Economist Impact and Australian telecoms company Telstra International, drew on responses from 1,420 senior executives across 11 Asia-Pacific markets, including Australia, mainland China, Hong Kong and Thailand.
Singapore ranked first overall – leading on risk management, workforce capability and cultural agility – but placed 10th out of 11 on leadership, exposing a governance gap that experts warn could prove costly as AI supercharges the speed and sophistication of cyber threats.
The study found that 71 per cent of respondents in the city state said their boards or executive committees did not regularly review the effectiveness of their digital resilience plans. Instead, responsibility tended to be concentrated in a single function – typically IT – rather than distributed across senior leadership.
“The regulatory foundation is genuinely strong, so the next challenge is closing the gap between policy intent and operational practice,” said Darren Guccione, CEO and co-founder of cybersecurity platform Keeper Security. “AI is making that harder, not easier.”