AI-enabled threat intelligence and cyber risk assessment in the digital transformation of Kazakhstan businesses
Rajasekhara Mouly Potluri, Yerzhan B. Mukashev, Kakharman Bulatbek · 2025
This chapter examines how businesses in Kazakhstan, across three sectors and various enterprise sizes, evaluate artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled threat intelligence and cyber risks within the context of their digital transformation processes. Drawing on a research sample of 310 employees from companies of varying scales and seven interviews with top-level executives, the chapter identifies barriers to adoption and the technologies being integrated into business practices. Reliability analysis using Cronbach’s alpha was conducted to validate the consistency and legitimacy of responses, while the Kruskal–Wallis non-parametric test identified statistically significant differences among business types. The findings reveal notable differences between micro and medium-sized enterprises in their perception of the relevance of technological solutions for digital transformation. Medium-sized businesses generally see AI-enabled threat intelligence and cybersecurity innovations as providing more concrete solutions to their challenges compared to smaller enterprises. Conversely, micro-enterprise entrepreneurs assign greater importance to digitalization compared to small businesses. The chapter further develops a theoretical model to quantify key factors driving the digital transformation of Kazakh businesses, assessing the most common variables and limitations encountered in the process. These insights offer a deeper understanding of how AI and cybersecurity technologies are shaping business innovation and resilience in Kazakhstan.