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Economic Challenges And Skills Gaps Strain Global Cybersecurity Workforce
- Written by Kiara Fabbri Former Tech News Writer
- Fact-Checked by Sarah Frazier Former Content Manager
In a Rush? Here are the Quick Facts!
- 5% of cybersecurity departments faced layoffs in 2024, a 3% increase.
- 90% of cybersecurity teams report one or more skills gaps.
- 54% of professionals express concerns about data privacy with increasing AI adoption.
As economic conditions tighten, cybersecurity departments worldwide are feeling the strain, with significant budget cuts and layoffs reported across the industry. A new global report highlights that 2024 saw 25% of cybersecurity departments facing layoffs, a 3% rise from 2023.
Additionally, 37% of respondents indicated budget cuts, marking a 7% increase from the previous year. This challenging financial landscape has impacted the ability of cybersecurity teams to effectively safeguard organizations, revealing an urgent need to address both staffing shortages and skills gaps to prevent significant security risks.
One of the primary concerns for cybersecurity professionals is the widening workforce gap, which has surged by 19.1% since 2023. The report estimates the global cybersecurity workforce at around 5.47 million, a modest 0.1% increase from the previous year.
However, regional disparities are evident: while there has been a workforce increase in the Middle East and Africa (7.4%) and Asia-Pacific (3.8%), regions like North America, Europe, and Latin America are experiencing workforce reductions.
This limited growth highlights the struggles organizations face in sustaining cybersecurity operations under current financial pressures.
The resource scarcity also exacerbates a critical skills gap within cybersecurity teams. According to the report, 90% of respondents reported one or more skills gaps within their teams, with 64% expressing concerns that these deficits could have a more substantial negative impact on security than the actual staff shortage.
This sentiment underscores the challenge for organizations that lack the budget to attract or train talent to address emerging cybersecurity threats effectively.
Moreover, nearly 59% of respondents acknowledged that these skills gaps have significantly affected their ability to secure organizational assets, with almost 58% stating that their firms face elevated security risks.
The shortage in skilled professionals isn’t just a short-term issue; survey respondents expect that workforce gaps will persist, with nearly 20% anticipating further layoffs over the next year.
This resource deficit presents a significant challenge in critical sectors, particularly in hosted/cloud services, telecommunications, and aerospace, which have reported the highest rates of budget cuts this year.
By contrast, sectors such as public services, non-profits, and the military reported fewer budget cuts, underscoring the differing priorities and financial constraints across industries.
The rise of AI further complicates the landscape. While AI presents opportunities to enhance cybersecurity capabilities, many organizations remain cautious about investing in specialized AI skills. In fact, 59% of hiring managers reported uncertainty about the specific skills that will be required in a future AI-driven cybersecurity environment.
This hesitation to hire for niche technical skills has led companies to favor more transferable, non-technical skills such as problem-solving, teamwork, and communication, which are anticipated to remain valuable regardless of AI’s evolution.
AI also raises new security challenges: 54% of respondents have expressed concerns about data privacy and security as AI adoption increases within organizations.
The technology’s dual role as both a tool for efficiency and a potential vulnerability reflects the delicate balance cybersecurity professionals must strike between harnessing AI’s potential and managing the risks it introduces.
In light of these findings, cybersecurity professionals are increasingly focusing on building versatile skills to future-proof their roles, with 73% enhancing their technical expertise and nearly half preparing for an AI-influenced environment.
This evolving landscape places considerable pressure on cybersecurity professionals as cyberattacks rise and AI complicates the threat environment. Another recent study reveals that 66% of cybersecurity professionals believe their jobs have become more stressful over the past five years.
As organizations navigate these economic and technological shifts, addressing skills gaps and workforce shortages remains a crucial step to ensure robust cybersecurity measures in the face of a rapidly evolving threat landscape.
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Waze Launches New AI Feature Powered By Gemini To Report Road Incidents
- Written by Andrea Miliani Former Tech News Expert
In a Rush? Here are the Quick Facts!
- Conversation Reporting allows drivers to talk to Gemini about road incidents and the AI feature automatically reports it in the platform
- The Gemini-powered feature is in beta mode for selected drivers globally and will expand to more users soon
- School Zones will alert drivers when they drive near a school later this year
Waze launched a new Conversational Reporting feature powered by Gemini’s AI technology for drivers to report traffic incidents by speaking, and another feature called School Zones alerts drivers when they are driving near a school.
According to the official announcement shared by Google, Conversational Reporting has been released in beta mode in English for selected drivers across the world for iOS and Android devices and will expand in the upcoming months to more users and in more languages. The School Zones feature will be released later this year.
Conversational Reporting allows Gemini to listen to drivers’ reports and descriptions in different scenarios—from potholes to constructions to traffic jams—and automatically adds it to the collaborative platform to inform other drivers.
“All you need to do is tap the reporting button and speak naturally, as if you’re chatting with a friend: ´Looks like there are cars jammed up ahead!´” wrote Gai Berkovich, Waze General Manager in the document. “With the help of Gemini capabilities, Waze will understand what you’re saying and quickly add a real-time report to the map for you — no need to use a specific voice command or tap extra buttons.”
Berkovich explains they believe this will help avoid car accidents and help drivers share updates in a safer and easier way. If Gemini needs more information it will ask the driver for more details to include in the app report.
School Zones has been designed to increase safety and keep drivers alert. “When you’re driving near a school when it’s open and we have information for that school zone available, you’ll receive an alert that reminds you to be extra cautious,” explained Berkovich.
📣 Conversational Reporting empowers drivers to speak naturally, as Waze leverages Gemini capabilities to intuitively understand you. pic.twitter.com/QQKUfXgXwv — waze (@waze) October 31, 2024
Other companies have also announced new platforms and updates to reduce car accidents and make roads safer. Toyota and NTT will launch an AI-powered platform for a zero-traffic accident initiative, and Uber recently launched another AI-powered update to help drivers with electric vehicles.
