More Intelligence Doesn't Always Mean More Influence

October 23, 2026

Only 25% of Chief Security Officers say their intelligence frequently influences business decisions. About a third say it rarely does, or doesn't at all. That's the headline from the Clarity Factory's 2026 Annual CSO Survey of 118 CSOs at multinationals with 3,000+ staff.

While intelligence now reaches business leaders and cyber teams, not just corporate security, it hasn't produced more influence. Are you a CSO or Intelligence team manager who is facing this very challenge? There may be some structural or communication challenges in your program; Sentinel can support identifying and mitigating those very issues. If you are faced with building a new program and want to avoid these same issues, we can also help you get off on the right foot.

What separates influential programs

  • Demand over volume. Strong teams write to defined information needs (priority intelligence requirements), not to what they assume is relevant. That depends on regular stakeholder engagement and a CSO who can articulate real-time needs.

  • Collaboration as access. Teams in working groups are three times more likely to brief the board or executive committee. One team convened five internal functions every two weeks, unasked, and its CSO credited that with gaining influence.

  • Interpretation over collection. Executives can now ask AI geopolitical questions themselves. The value left for intelligence teams is second-order effects, dependencies and anticipation, with AI freeing time to think.

  • Move from tactical to Strategic. Where a formal geopolitical risk structure exists, security teams are twice as likely to run scenario planning and red teaming.

How Sentinel can help: Intelligence Program Review

Sentinel reviews your intelligence function against the practices that earn influence, then gives you a prioritized roadmap to close the gaps. We look at:

Requirements. Are your priority intelligence requirements current, owned by stakeholders, and driving what you produce?

Products. Does your product mix match what decision-makers actually use, or is volume crowding out quality?

Engagement. Where should intelligence sit in working groups and cross-functional forums to gain access?

AI and analysis. Is AI being used and is it moving your analysts from collection toward interpretation and anticipation?

Executive reach. Are you answering leadership's questions before they ask, and helping your CSO keep a seat at the table?

Let's talk

If your intelligence is reaching more readers but not shaping more decisions, a program review is the place to start. Start the new fiscal year with a new intelligence strategy to ensure you have the reach and influence to move the business forward. Contact the team to scope a review for your organization: info@sentinel.security

Source: Clarity Factory, Annual Chief Security Officer Survey 2026 (118 CSOs, surveyed March–April 2026).