French CEOs push for stricter cyber rules as AI identity risks grow

Adoption of artificial‑intelligence tools is outpacing identity and access‑management (IAM) controls in European enterprises. An Okta analysis of anonymised data from more than 20,000 organisations shows a shift from single‑vendor AI deployments to multi‑vendor environments, creating what analysts call an "identity debt" – fragmented permissions, inconsistent policies and limited traceability of AI‑driven actions. Companies are urged to adopt open, interoperable standards and to demonstrate responsibility, provenance and auditability for AI decisions that affect end users.

A separate survey of 300 senior executives in France, Germany and the United Kingdom reveals a distinctly French stance on cyber‑security regulation. Sixty‑two per cent of French CEOs say the current cyber‑legislation should be tightened, a proportion roughly double that of their German and British counterparts. Respondents also cite insufficient governmental support, heightened stress from cyber threats, and a desire for clearer legal liability. French firms lead Europe in appointing Chief AI Officers (26 %) and in designating the CISO as the primary point of contact during a cyber incident (35 %). The findings highlight a growing demand for stronger regulatory frameworks and dedicated resources to manage the expanding AI‑driven attack surface.