HID Study Examines PKI Trends Amid AI, Automation and Post-Quantum Shift

HID's study finds IT leaders accelerating PKI automation and cloud adoption while preparing for AI-driven identity demands and post-quantum risks.

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HID Global

March 31, 2026

3 min read

HID's new report draws on insights from more than 300 IT leaders across the United States and Europe on how organizations are adapting certificate management and trust strategies.

HID has released a new market study examining how organizations are adapting public key infrastructure strategies as automation, artificial intelligence (AI) and post-quantum computing reshape security requirements.

The report, based on responses from more than 300 IT leaders in the United States and Europe, highlights key trends, risks and investment priorities as organizations work to modernize PKI environments and address emerging threats.

The findings point to a growing need for scalable, integrated solutions as certificate lifespans shrink and security teams face increasing operational complexity.

1. Automation becomes high priority
As certificate lifespans decrease, organizations are accelerating automation to reduce human error and manage growing certificate volumes. Transport Layer Security certificates, which secure encrypted connections, are set to see validity periods drop from 398 days to 47 days by 2029 under CA Browser Forum changes. The study found 67% of executives are already automating renewal processes, while 61% plan to invest in PKI automation within the next 24 months. Automation is also supporting scalability across environments that include IoT devices and AI agents.

2. PKI-as-a-service gains traction
Cloud-based PKI models are gaining adoption as organizations seek to streamline certificate lifecycle management. While 76% of respondents report using cloud components within their PKI infrastructure, only 23% have fully cloud-based deployments. Larger enterprises, particularly those with more than 100,000 employees, tend to favor hybrid approaches that balance flexibility with control.

3. Compliance drives adoption
Regulatory requirements are emerging as a key factor shaping PKI strategies. With frameworks such as GDPR, the Cyber Resilience Act, NIS2 and HIPAA influencing decision-making, 45% of executives cited compliance as a primary business objective tied to PKI, while 39% track it as a formal key performance indicator.

4. Post-quantum readiness lags
Despite growing awareness of quantum computing risks, adoption of post-quantum cryptography remains limited. The study found 12% of organizations are piloting PQC initiatives, while 25% are developing plans and 37% are monitoring standards. Larger enterprises and U.S.-based organizations are more likely to be actively testing PQC capabilities.

5. AI agents emerge as new identity category
The rise of AI-driven systems is creating new identity management challenges. According to the report, 34% of organizations identify AI agent certificates as a top trend, reflecting the need to secure both human-to-machine and machine-to-machine interactions. Adoption is slightly higher in the United States than in Europe.

HID said the findings are intended to help security leaders align PKI strategies with evolving operational demands and future security requirements.

The full market study includes additional data and further analysis. Read it in its entirety here. For more information on HID’s PKI solutions, go here.