Horizons of Identity Security, 2025-2026
Adapt or fall behind
Discover how identity leaders reduce risk, unlock greater ROI, and outpace change across the security frontier.
Turn AI-driven risk into competitive advantage
Break free from stalled, siloed identity programs
Advance faster across Horizons maturity levels
About the research
Bridge gaps, drive value
Identity has moved from back-office control to the nervous system of enterprise security—where access, automation, and threat response converge. Yet 63% of organizations remain stuck in low maturity horizons with manual, siloed processes. Our 4th annual Horizons of Identity Security research reveals how leaders break free: Building strong foundations; governing humans, machines, and AI agents; and automating at scale.
2025 identity insights
How leaders drive identity results
Leaders turn identity into measurable outcomes. Our 2025 Horizons research shows where they pull ahead: Proven ROI from integrated identity data and automation; governance for fast-growing AI and machine identities; elevating IAM to core enterprise infrastructure; and staying ahead as capability thresholds rise—so programs advance, not fall back.
Identity impacts ROI
Identity investment pays off—often 10x or more
When identity data fuels business systems and automation, returns compound—unlocking revenue uplift, cost reduction, and enterprise agility and growth. Discover how identity leaders:
Prove margin impact—not just risk reduction
Automate access to boost productivity & compliance
Activate identity data across the enterprise
Where identity meets AI
AI agent identity management is the new dividing line
AI agents are the fastest-growing identity, yet fewer than 4 in 10 govern them. This capability determines who leads vs. lags in identity security maturity. Explore the report and gain actionable insights to:
Reduce exposure and downtime from rogue agents
Accelerate detection & response with agent telemetry
Scale agent use without adding friction
Rethink identity
Only 25% treat IAM as strategic business enabler
Many still see IAM as compliance, however, Identity is no longer just a gatekeeper. It is the infrastructure linking endpoints, cloud, SaaS, and data environments. Uncover how leading organizations:
Enable real-time detection and automated remediation
Speed post-merger integration and workforce scaling
Drive cloud-first transformation across the enterprise
As the bar rises
4% moved backward as thresholds rose—stay ahead
Identity is evolving, new capabilities are in play, maturity isn’t just about progress — it takes effort to avoid regression. Build a unified fabric or fall behind. Get the insights you need to:
Transform from static to contextual, adaptive identity
Unify access controls across complex environments
Implement AI-driven governance for all identities
"We're excited to see how far we can go, especially with SailPoint’s AI and automation tools and how they can help us accelerate on our journey."
Adam Manning, Digital Identity and Automation Specialist, Specsavers