In response to escalating risks associated with artificial intelligence, CEOs are significantly ramping up their cybersecurity investments. According to the 2024 KPMG U.S. CEO Outlook Survey, 69% of CEOs plan to increase their spending on cybersecurity measures [d227396e]. This surge in investment comes as 85% of CEOs express confidence in their companies' growth prospects, with 68% anticipating returns from their investments in Generative AI (GenAI) within the next three to five years [d227396e].
The survey, which included responses from 1,325 CEOs across 11 markets and various sectors, also highlighted that mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and organic growth are key strategies for 30% and 22% of CEOs, respectively [d227396e]. Furthermore, 79% of U.S. CEOs expect to return employees to the office within three years, a significant increase from just 34% previously. To incentivize this return, 86% of CEOs indicated they would reward in-office attendance with promotions or raises [d227396e].
The cybersecurity skills gap remains a pressing issue, with an estimated 4 million unfilled positions in 2023 [c72fbbd8]. However, the integration of AI, particularly GenAI, is projected to alleviate this gap by eliminating the need for specialized education in 50% of entry-level cybersecurity roles by 2028 [c72fbbd8]. While AI adoption faces challenges such as lack of technology and funding, it is expected to reshape cybersecurity roles and responsibilities [c72fbbd8].
Moreover, a recent survey indicated that 73% of life sciences companies are leveraging AI to tackle the cybersecurity skills gap, with 83% of cybersecurity managers looking to AI for automating detection and response tasks [7af99812]. Despite the benefits, 86% of cybersecurity leaders acknowledge that AI tools could expose their companies to data exfiltration risks [7af99812].
In the broader context, the primary cybersecurity threats today stem from social engineering and identity-based attacks rather than AI itself. The introduction of AI can lower the cost and effort required to launch these attacks, making it crucial for enterprises to secure identities cryptographically and reduce their attack surfaces [8c25b48f]. As the landscape evolves, collaboration among the cybersecurity community, government, academia, and the private sector will be essential to effectively address these challenges and enhance the workforce's skills [c72fbbd8].