7 AI Trends That Will Transform Data Security in 2025

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly changing how many industries operate, from analyzing customer reviews at scale to implementing autonomous data security solutions. New utilities and use cases continue to be found as AI advances — and we can already see in-motion trends poised to keep transforming data security. Data security, privacy, and compliance remain top focuses for most organizations. That’s why many companies continue to turn to AI-driven platforms to strengthen security and improve efficiency.According to IBM’s Cost of a Data Breach Report 2024, the average data breach costs $4.88 million. However, this cost is reduced to $2.22 million when organizations use security AI and automation in proactive prevention campaigns. A separate study from Statista showed a similar decrease when using AI-enabled tools, reducing data breach costs by $1.8 million.IBM’s report helps put a dollar amount on the possible ROI of investing in leading-edge data security platforms. However, it’s worth noting that the impact of a data breach can go far beyond measurable costs and have a lasting negative impact on the business.A successful data breach can have long-lasting effects well beyond immediately measurable expenses. One study found that 75% of U.S. consumers would stop buying from a brand if it suffered a data breach.So, how can AI help minimize or mitigate the impact of data breaches entirely? We’ll be exploring seven key trends shaping the future of data protection — read on to discover what the future may hold.

1. Data Discovery and Classification

Another notable finding in IBM’s report is that 1 in 3 data breaches involve shadow data, highlighting the importance of being aware of every byte of data in the estate. Shadow data is any unknown or hidden copies of sensitive data that fall outside data security protocols — data discovery is critical to eliminating this type of data. Why is AI important in this context? AI’s biggest advantage is in data recognition. AI works to determine and infer what a specific data point means. For example, if it detects the word April, it must determine whether it refers to the month or a staff member with the same name. AI works to contextualize and understand this information when deciding how to classify it.Once discovered, an automated classification system analyzes found data and assigns it to the appropriate category, configured based on company data protection protocols such as public, internal, sensitive, and classified.Additionally, data classification is a foundational aspect of many compliance processes and is an ideal platform that can add data context to aid in compliance programs.However, adopting a platform capable of working with your entire data estate, including mainframes, is vital. Some platforms on the market are unable to work with mainframe data types, which creates a significant blind spot. Make sure your chosen platform can enable data discovery and classification for mainframe data.

2. AI-Driven Threat Detection

AI has transformed threat detection by enabling more proactive, real-time identification of cyberattacks, which in turn better protects sensitive data. Unlike traditional rule-based systems, AI utilizes machine learning (ML) to analyze vast data sets to detect anomalies that may indicate potential breaches.These leading-edge threat detection platforms can approach threat detection in a few ways, such as:

• Vulnerability scanning to identify misconfigurations that a threat actor may exploit.
• Platforms can trigger configurable alerts when it detects anomalous behavior that may indicate an attack.
• Incident response plans can include an autonomous element to immediately handle key tasks following a detected incident.

Incorporating AI into data privacy practices enhances the ability of organizations to protect personal and sensitive data to meet regulatory and internal standards.

3. Data Privacy

Data privacy has become a top concern for organizations worldwide, especially with the increasing volume of personal information being captured during routine business processes. AI plays a significant role in safeguarding data privacy in several ways, such as:

• Data masking and encryption: AI tools can automate data masking to ensure that sensitive information is anonymized, which reduces the risk of exposure during breaches. This utility can apply to data in use, storage, and transit to provide a high degree of protection.
• Privacy auditing: AI can conduct continuous audits to monitor data access and usage to make sure that only authorized individuals can handle sensitive information. Additionally, these tools can create comprehensive audit logs in the form of metadata, which can tell the story behind the data.
• Adaptive security protocols: AI-driven systems can dynamically adjust security protocols based on real-time risk assessments, providing a higher level of data privacy. Enabling this capability requires adopting reputable platforms, so take the time to thoroughly evaluate the platform and vendor before implementation.

Additionally, most of the other trends on this list work to enhance data privacy as it’s become a major focus for organizations across all industries.

4. User Behavioral Analysis and Anomaly Detection

AI-powered user behavioral analysis has elevated user authentication methods beyond simple passwords. This approach focuses on assessing how users interact with systems alongside other contextual data, such as time, location, device, and operating system.If a user account shows anomalous behavior, the platform can trigger an alert for system admins or block the account entirely — even when the correct authentication credentials are used.Additionally, behavioral analysis tools can also identify and eliminate possible fraud, like account takeovers, by evaluating when a user account shows anomalous behavior. Preventing fraud directly protects customer or user data and, depending on the account, can mitigate a much more severe attack.

5. Defending Against Ransomware

Ransomware attacks have surged in recent years, posing severe threats to organizations of all sizes. Typically, ransomware attacks encrypt company data and make you pay for the decryption key — they’re a direct attack on company data.Data security posture management (DSPM) is a valuable approach to defending against ransomware attacks as it calls for a data-first approach to security. AI can support DSPM by monitoring file behavior, such as data transfer requests, and blocking them before they go through.The role of AI in ransomware defense is increasingly important, offering preemptive and responsive measures. Some platforms can deploy automated containment procedures, isolating sensitive systems the moment a possible attack is detected.While this trend is still emerging, AI will most likely become a cornerstone of ransomware defense to keep your data safe.

6. Vulnerability Scanning and Patching

AI-driven vulnerability scanning and patch management solutions have streamlined the process of identifying and addressing software vulnerabilities. These platforms can significantly cut costs and increase efficiency in several ways, such as:

• Intelligent prioritization: AI algorithms assess the severity of vulnerabilities, prioritizing patches for those that pose the highest risk to the organization. Systems analytics can then review and start working on prioritized tasks.
• Predictive maintenance: Leading-edge platforms can predict which systems are most likely to be targeted based on historical attack data, enabling teams to address potential issues before they are exploited.
• Automated patch deployment: AI-enabled tools can automatically apply security patches across an organization’s systems, which reduces the time between vulnerability identification and resolution.

These capabilities reduce tedious, manual workload for IT teams and minimize the window of exposure for potential cyberattacks, making sure that vulnerabilities are swiftly managed.

7. AI-Enabled Cybersecurity Training

Cybersecurity training is a critical aspect of a data protection program. Human error, social engineering, and phishing attacks are commonly involved in data breaches — training aims to prevent them.

• Simulate phishing attacks: You can tell employees not to click strange links, but without hands-on experience, it can be hard to identify them and understand how they work. Virtual environments can use AI to configure and safely deploy phishing attacks.
• Offer personalized learning paths: AI can adapt training programs based on an individual’s performance, focusing on areas where they need the most improvement. With the right training, AI can even generate new training material as necessary.
• Real-time analytics and feedback: Training tools powered by AI can provide immediate feedback during exercises, reinforcing correct behavior and addressing mistakes as they happen.

Offering ongoing training is especially vital in high-risk industries like finance or healthcare. Every employee, even those in non-technical positions, needs regular training to best protect the organization.

Prepare for The Future of AI in Data Security with 1touch.io

The future of data security may have some surprises, but we can safely say that AI will play an increasingly important role in shaping the future of the industry. Organizations that invest in AI-driven security solutions today will be better prepared to face the increasingly sophisticated threats of tomorrow.Advancements in areas such as deep learning and natural language processing (NLP) will likely improve threat detection even further, enabling AI to understand and respond to more complex types of cyber attacks.Inventa by 1touch is an industry-leading data discovery and classification platform that works with every data type in your IT ecosystem. Our autonomous platform continuously scans your data estate to ensure you protect data appropriately.Is it time to eliminate the vulnerabilities of shadow data and inefficient data discovery? Book a demo today to learn more about how our platform can bolster your security now and prepare you for an AI-driven future.