On World Backup Day, Veeam Software highlighted findings from its latest Data Resilience survey of more than 4,000 C-suite and senior IT leaders. The report reveals that organizations face growing risks of data loss and outages in an AI-driven era.

As data and AI increasingly drive business success, vulnerabilities continue to rise. However, organizations can only unlock AI’s full potential when data remains resilient, secure, and well-governed. Despite this, many boards and executives remain unprepared for emerging AI-related risks.

Moreover, World Backup Day, observed annually on March 31, underscores the importance of reliable backups as the foundation of digital trust and business continuity. According to the research, concerns over data outages now surpass fears of economic recession. This shift highlights the urgent need for strong backup and recovery strategies.

In addition, ransomware and cyberattacks rank as the top threats, with 67% of business leaders identifying them as their primary concern. Meanwhile, AI-related risks, including data leaks, algorithm bias, and uncontrolled automation, follow at 29%. These threats significantly increase the likelihood of data loss and outages.

Furthermore, nearly 47% of organizations expect a major cyberattack or data breach. However, only 32% believe they can fully recover critical data and operations. As a result, 62% of leaders now view data outages as a greater financial threat than economic downturns.

“In today’s AI-powered world, trust in data is every organization’s most valuable asset,” said Dave Russell, Senior Vice President and Head of Strategy at Veeam. He added that backups serve as the last line of truth, especially when AI errors, ransomware, or misconfigurations disrupt systems. He also noted that organizations must shift from reactive to proactive strategies to ensure resilience.

At the same time, data outages are emerging as a critical business risk. About 76% of organizations said they would not survive more than three days of downtime following a complete data outage. Meanwhile, 44% of IT leaders lack confidence in recovering critical data within 24 hours after a major incident.

Consequently, the impact extends beyond operations. Organizations risk losing customer trust, damaging their reputation, and facing regulatory penalties. In severe cases, businesses may collapse entirely. Therefore, data resilience has become a core element of organizational trust.

Despite rising AI adoption, governance gaps remain a concern. Around 38% of boards have never formally discussed AI-driven or emerging cyber threats. In addition, only 31% review resilience readiness metrics such as recovery KPIs on a quarterly basis. Responsibility for resilience is often divided among CIOs, CISOs, and other executives.

Similarly, less than half of organizations link executive KPIs to resilience outcomes. Only 24% of leaders regularly participate in crisis simulations for data loss or disruptions. This lack of accountability increases the risk of reactive responses to cyber threats.

The survey also highlights the human impact of cyber incidents. About 57% of leaders reported employee burnout, resignations, or threats to resign following major cyber events. Additionally, lost productivity remains a key challenge.

When it comes to causes of data loss, external cyberattacks account for 26%, followed by human error at 23% and system or hardware failures at 16%. Furthermore, 83% of organizations experienced data outages in the past five years that were not resolved immediately. This trend emphasizes the need for stronger data resilience frameworks.

Ultimately, organizations are being urged to review, test, and strengthen their backup strategies. The risks of ignoring data protection include reputational damage, compliance failures, and financial losses. On World Backup Day, the message is clear: resilient data is essential to maintaining trust and ensuring long-term business continuity.

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