Fortinet has released its 2025 Global Cybersecurity Skills Gap Report, highlighting ongoing and emerging challenges caused by the shortage of qualified cybersecurity professionals.
The report finds that as organisations increasingly turn to AI to strengthen their security, they also recognise the risk of AI being exploited in cyberattacks, particularly given the limited AI expertise among teams.
A lack of cybersecurity awareness and training continues to be the leading cause of breaches, while boards often lack sufficient knowledge despite prioritising the issue.
The report also notes that organisations prefer cybersecurity personnel with certifications.
In Saudi Arabia, the country’s Vision 2030 initiatives have accelerated digital transformation, cloud adoption, e-government services, and smart city development, making AI-driven cybersecurity capabilities vital.
The National Cybersecurity Authority (NCA) emphasises developing local talent, yet demand still exceeds supply.
“As Saudi Arabia accelerates its digital transformation under Vision 2030, cybersecurity has become a foundational pillar for national resilience and economic growth. The Fortinet Skills Gap Report confirms the on the ground observation that while AI is essential to enhancing cyber defense, the Kingdom must prioritize upskilling the cybersecurity workforce to fully realise its benefits.”
said Sami Alshwairakh, Senior Regional Director Sales at Fortinet.
Over half of respondents reported losses exceeding US$1 million per incident, while 54% cited a lack of IT security skills and training as a key factor.
AI adoption is widespread, with 97% of organisations using or planning AI-enabled cybersecurity tools.
Although 87% of professionals expect AI to support rather than replace their roles, nearly half of IT decision-makers identified insufficient AI expertise as a major barrier.
The study also found that 89% of employers value certifications, though support for funding them has declined.
Closing the skills gap is viewed as essential for organisational resilience, requiring coordinated efforts in awareness, training, and adoption of advanced security technologies. Fortinet aims to train one million people globally by the end of 2026.
Featured image credit: Fortinet
