AI, automation, and the cybersecurity skills gap

The cybersecurity skills shortage is well documented, but the gap seems to be widening. The 2019 Cybersecurity Workforce study produced by nonprofit (ISC)² looked at the cybersecurity workforce in 11 markets. The report found that while 2.8 million people currently work in cybersecurity roles, an additional 4 million were needed -- a third more than the previous year -- due to a "global surge in hiring demand." As companies battle a growing array of external and internal threats, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and automation are playing increasingly large roles in plugging that workforce gap. But to what degree can machines support and enhance cybersecurity teams, and do they -- or will they -- negate the need for human personnel? These questions permeate most industries, but the cost of cybercrime to companies, governments, and individuals is rising precipitously. Studies indicate that the impact of cyberattacks could hit a heady $6 trillion by 2021. And the costs are not only financial. As companies harness and harvest data from billions of individuals, countless high-profile data breaches have made privacy a top concern. Reputations -- and in some cases people's lives -- are on the line. Against that backdrop, the market for software to protect against cyberattacks is also growing.