Costa Rica firms bet on AI to transform cybersecurity, survey finds

A Microsoft-sponsored survey of 100 Costa Rican security and IT professionals finds that 57% of large companies expect AI to have a high impact on their cybersecurity practices in the near future. Around one-third of firms say they are already moderately dependent on AI for threat response, while 7% report high dependence, even as 60% still perceive elevated risk levels in their current defences. Microsoft’s regional cybersecurity director argues that the challenge is no longer whether to invest in security but how to scale it responsibly with AI and strong governance at each organisational layer. The report suggests AI agents are being used to accelerate detection, triage and incident response, while partially compensating for local talent shortages. For Latin America more broadly, Costa Rica’s posture illustrates how mid-sized economies may leapfrog straight into AI-augmented security operations without ever fully staffing traditional SOC models.