Some 91% of participants in a focus group at the Annual Meeting on Cybersecurity 2024 concurred that AI would generate novel roles in cybersecurity, enhancing areas such as incident response. Yet 67% noted a shortfall in investments in AI skills within their organizations, signalling a disconnect between current training and the evolving demands. Companies must therefore commit to equipping their workforce with the necessary AI competencies, ensuring that educational curricula are continually updated to mirror the dynamic cyberthreat landscape and emerging technologies. An important aspect of how AI can optimize human capital and training for the purposes of cybersecurity is its capacity to translate complex cyberthreat data into natural language. This can help reduce the dependence on technically astute analysts to understand the environment. According to a recent Institute for Security and Technology (IST) report: “[a]cross the board, LLMs have simplified data comprehension for all security personnel, though their impact has been particularly transformative for Tier 1 Security Operations Center (SOC) analysts during case investigations by reducing the time needed to accurately identify malicious intent”.45 In addressing the evolving demands of cybersecurity, only 23% of organizations in 2025 are looking beyond traditional cyber qualifications to recruit talent from non-traditional backgrounds, such as communication, law and finance. As cybersecurity becomes more complex but also more important to the business, the need for professionals who can bridge the gap between technical details and business impact is ever more critical. Effective storytelling to translate complex cybersecurity issues into everyday language is an important part of engaging stakeholders and guiding informed decision-making. Strategic Cybersecurity Talent Framework BOX 2 In April 2024, the World Economic Forum released the Strategic Cybersecurity Talent Framework, featuring achievable approaches intended to help organizations build sustainable talent pipelines. This outlines how to attract more talent into cybersecurity by improving the understanding of what cybersecurity professionals do, removing barriers to entry and increasing diversity in the workforce. It also discusses how to equip students and professionals with essential skills for a career in the field, and suggests a rethink of recruitment practices to address challenges such as unrealistic and demanding requirements in job descriptions and misalignment between hiring managers and human resources (HR) departments. Finally, it investigates the promotion of retention strategies that generate a culture to inspire and motivate employees. As the digital landscape continues to evolve, mapping the framework against emerging technologies, such as GenAI, becomes essential in ensuring its relevance and adaptability. 37 Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2025