The GenAI Coin Toss for CISOs and CHROs

What is the #1 CISO and CHRO Concern for 2025?

Gartner’s Top Trends report just made it official: Generative AI (GenAI) is the #1 cybersecurity trend for CISOs in 2025. It’s also a top concern for CHROs. No surprise there. Our brave new AI-powered world comes with more opportunity, and more ways to cause serious damage to your organization, than ever before.

Let’s flip the coin and see what we’re really dealing with. The GenAI Coin Toss.

HEADS: GenAI Productivity Gains

According to Kolide, nearly 90% of employees are using GenAI at work, whether their company says “yes,” “no,” or “absolutely not.” Around 35% are paying for AI tools out of their own pockets just to get the job done faster, especially when the boss says “don’t use AI.” (Rebellious, but efficient.)

Clearly, people want productivity. And, GenAI can help by writing emails, crunching data, summarizing documents, doing research, or even planning your next team happy hour.

TAILS: GenAI Risks

Here’s the bad news: only 6% of employees are fully trained to use GenAI productively and securely. That means the other 94% are winging it with tools that can leak IP, expose PII, and make up facts like a toddler with an imaginary friend.

While COOs and CHROs are revving up the AI engines, CISOs and CIOs are hitting the brakes, and for good reason. GenAI hallucinations (aka lying with confidence) can lead to serious brand damage, lawsuits, and fines if inaccurate content gets published.

GenAI Coin Toss