Healthcare AI Adoption Outpaces Governance and Cybersecurity Readiness — Cotiviti, Inc.

Event summary

Cotiviti and MedCity News released the 2026 Healthcare AI Readiness Index, showing 70% of healthcare organizations have adopted AI tools.
Nearly 40% of health insurers describe AI as a core aspect of their business, while 70% of providers are still in early adoption stages.
Only 42% of payers and 32% of providers feel 'very prepared' to respond to AI-assisted cyberattacks.
60% of payers and 64% of providers report employees using unauthorized 'shadow AI' tools.
90% of respondents expect to increase AI and cybersecurity investments over the next year.

The big picture

The 2026 Healthcare AI Readiness Index highlights a critical disconnect between the rapid adoption of AI in healthcare and the slower development of necessary governance and cybersecurity frameworks. As AI becomes more integral to critical workflows, the need for robust security and responsible use policies will be paramount. The findings suggest that the next phase of AI adoption in healthcare will be defined not by deployment, but by how effectively organizations govern, secure, and operationalize these technologies.

What we're watching

Governance Dynamics: How healthcare organizations will close the gap between AI adoption and governance frameworks.
Cybersecurity Preparedness: Whether current cybersecurity measures will scale with the rapid adoption of AI tools.
Regulatory Compliance: The pace at which regulatory requirements will evolve to address AI-assisted cybersecurity threats.