CYBERSECURITY SKILLS MATTER MORE THAN HEADCOUNT IN THE AI ERA

Summary from the TLDR InfoSec newsletter

ISC2's 2025 Cybersecurity Workforce Study revealed that skills gaps have overtaken headcount as the primary concern, with 95% of 16,029 surveyed professionals reporting at least one skill need and 59% citing critical or significant gaps—increases of 5% and 15% respectively from 2024. Nearly 90% of respondents experienced at least one significant cybersecurity event due to skills shortages, while AI adoption accelerated rapidly, with 28% already integrating AI tools and 69% actively involved in adoption. AI and cloud security were identified as the top critical skills needs at 41% and 36%. Organizations should prioritize capability development over headcount expansion through sustained AI upskilling investments and realistic workload management, as 48% of professionals feel exhausted staying current with threats, while 75% plan to remain with their current employer for one year, but only 66% for two years.