AI expertise shortage tops cybersecurity hiring challenges: Fortinet report

BENGALURU: Finding cybersecurity professionals with artificial intelligence expertise has emerged as a leading recruitment challenge, with 68% of respondents in a global survey identifying it as their top hiring difficulty, even as organisations increasingly deploy AI-powered security tools.

Fortinet’s 2026 Global Cybersecurity Skills Gap Report, announced on October 26, surveyed more than 2,750 IT and cybersecurity decision-makers across 32 countries and locations. It found that persistent talent shortages and emerging AI-related demands were putting pressure on organisations’ ability to manage cyber risks.

The findings showed that 95% of respondents were using or experimenting with AI-powered cybersecurity solutions, while 92% said AI-enhanced tools were helping IT and security teams work more effectively and efficiently. However, organisations also reported a need for additional expertise to deploy and oversee these technologies.

Some 93% said they were likely to invest in AI-related cybersecurity training or certifications over the next 12 months. Meanwhile, 73% expected demand for AI oversight and governance roles within cybersecurity teams to increase over the next three years.

The skills required extended beyond AI model development, cited by 42% of respondents. AI tool oversight was identified by 60%, while 58% pointed to security automation. To support AI adoption, 68% said their organisations were developing internal training or reskilling programmes, and 48% were procuring training from industry vendors.

The survey also highlighted concern about attackers’ use of the technology, with 45% identifying defence against AI-powered cyberattacks as a top concern.

Cybersecurity skills shortages continued to feature prominently in respondents’ accounts of security breaches. For the third consecutive year, IT leaders cited a lack of cybersecurity skills as a leading cause, with 63% identifying it in the latest survey.

Overall, 94% of surveyed organisations reported at least one breach during the preceding 12 months. Some 74% said breaches had cost them more than $1 million, compared with 60% in 2024.

Despite the reported financial consequences, 67% of respondents said they struggled to secure approval for additional cybersecurity personnel. Nearly half, or 48%, identified senior-level cybersecurity expertise as their greatest skills requirement.

“Cybersecurity is not simply a technical issue but a strategic business risk,” said Carl Windsor, chief information security officer at Fortinet.

Windsor said the findings indicated a need for greater investment to address emerging AI risks and continuing cybersecurity talent shortages.

Organisations also reported efforts to widen recruitment and strengthen professional development. Willingness to fund employee certifications reached 97%, up from 82% in the 2025 report.

To attract candidates from underrepresented groups, 98% said they used initiatives such as internships, apprenticeships and partnerships. Eighty per cent reported formal hiring targets for underutilised talent pools.

The survey covered multiple industries, with technology accounting for 22% of respondents, manufacturing 16% and financial services 11%.