MAIR: A Modular AI-Ready Framework for Scalable Incident Response and Autonomous Governance in Next-Decade Cybersecurity

This study investigates how artificial intelligence is reshaping the requirements and expectations of modern incident response (IR) frameworks. Drawing on survey data from 194 cybersecurity practitioners and a Delphi-informed expert review process, the research identifies critical limitations in legacy IR models, including lifecycle rigidity, inadequate ethical oversight, and difficulty integrating AI-driven indicators. The study proposes a Modular AI-Ready Incident Response (MAIR) framework designed to enhance scalability, autonomy governance, and decision transparency across the Sense-Decide-Act-Learn cycle. Results show strong practitioner consensus for industrywide framework modernization and the need for adaptive, AIintegrated architectures. The paper concludes with a roadmap for validating MAIR through real-world SOC pilots and iterative refinement, positioning it as a forward-looking foundation for next-decade cybersecurity operations.