Survey Sees Rising Demand for Senior Cybersecurity Pros in Age of AI
Security Boulevard, Wednesday, April 29th, 2026
Global survey finds 56% of cybersecurity breaches caused by skills gaps, with 60% citing AI expertise as top challenge.
A global survey of 2,750 cybersecurity professionals conducted by Sapio Research for Fortinet reveals that lack of cybersecurity skills remains the top cause of security breaches for the third consecutive year, with 51% needing senior-level talent.
Organizations are struggling to hire additional cybersecurity staff, yet 60% identify finding talent with AI experience as their primary security challenge, with 92% willing to fund AI certifications.
While 91% of organizations are already using or experimenting with AI-powered security solutions and 87% expect to expand their cybersecurity teams, many remain skeptical about AI independence and face privacy concerns. The survey also shows that 86% of respondents' organizations suffered breaches in the past year, with over half experiencing losses exceeding $1 million.