According to JumpCloud’s Q3 2024 SME IT Trends Report, SMEs are rushing to adopt AI solutions.
The JumpCloud report draws insights from 311 IT decision-makers in UK organisations with 2,500 or fewer employees. It says that UK SMEs are caught between the allure of AI and the risks of cybersecurity threats. While 81 per cent believe in investing in AI initiatives (up from 70 per cent in Q1 2024), 64 per cent worry that AI threats outpace their defense capabilities.
Security remains the biggest concern for UK businesses, with 61 per cent emphasizing its importance, the report said.
More than 44 per cent of UK SMEs have fallen victim to cyberattacks, primarily through phishing (43 per cent) and shadow IT (33 per cent).
Meanwhile, 85 per cent of respondents express concern about shadow IT, reflecting the challenges of managing IT resources.
IT budgets are slightly increasing. In Q3 2024, 76 per cent reported budget boosts (up from 72 per cent in Q1). With better budgets, 73 per cent now feel equipped to handle cyber incidents (up from 65 per cent in the previous quarter).
SMEs also want to see more solution consolidation, with 81 per cent preferring a single, centralized solution for identity, access, and security.
More SMEs (51 per cent) are turning to Managed Service Providers (MSPs) for internal IT support (up from 39 per cent).However, 37 per cent still express reservations about how MSPs handle security, the report said.
The report talks about the UK’s political climate and rapid technological shifts force SMEs to adapt swiftly or risk falling behind.
