Cybersecurity Skills Gap Widens as AI-Powered Threats Surge: PwC Report
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A global study reveals a growing disparity between cybersecurity needs and available expertise, with Austria prioritizing employee training as a key defense strategy.
As the holiday shopping season drives more activity online, the risk of cybercrime is escalating for both individuals and organizations. A new report, “Digital Trust Insights 2026,” by PwC, surveyed nearly 4,000 executives across 72 countries – including Austria – and paints a stark picture of the evolving threat landscape fueled by artificial intelligence, increased network connectivity, and sophisticated attack techniques. Globally, 60% of companies are planning to increase their cybersecurity investments, but a critical shortage of skilled professionals is hindering progress.
Austria Focuses on Upskilling Amidst Global Investment Surge
While a majority of companies worldwide (60%) intend to boost their cyber budgets, particularly in response to geopolitical instability, Austria lags slightly behind at 45%. Instead of solely increasing financial allocations, Austrian companies are placing a significant emphasis on bolstering internal capabilities. More than half (55%) are actively investing in the further training and retraining of their employees to address the widening skills gap in the cybersecurity sector – a figure notably higher than the global average of 47%.
“In view of the shortage of skilled workers and the increasing complexity of cyber threats, in-depth know-how and AI-supported cybersecurity solutions are necessary,” stated a senior official at PwC Austria. “Competence is the greatest protection in cybersecurity. Only through targeted training can gaps in knowledge be closed and an effective level of security be established.”
Global Challenges: Expertise and AI-Specific Skills
The report highlights a pervasive lack of expertise as a major obstacle. Worldwide, 41% of companies cite a lack of expertise as hindering the implementation of AI-powered cybersecurity solutions. This deficiency is delaying the adoption of modern security strategies and increasing pressure on organizations. A lack of general cyber skills (50%) and specialized knowledge (41%) are identified as the biggest challenges globally.
Austria Lags in Technological Modernization, Prioritizes Compliance
Globally, data protection, technological modernization, and regulatory compliance are the primary drivers of cybersecurity budgets. Austria aligns closely with the global average of 44% regarding data protection investments (39%). However, a significant gap emerges in technological innovation, with only 30% of Austrian companies investing in more modern systems compared to 41% internationally. Furthermore, continuous security improvement is less prioritized in Austria, with only 24% of companies focusing on ongoing optimization versus a global average of 33%.
“Austria focuses too much on compliance, while other markets have long since modernized their security architectures,” cautioned a cybersecurity lead at PwC Austria. “This hesitation carries risks. We need more courage and targeted investments in modern technologies and continuous security improvements to remain resilient in the long term.” .
Quantum Resistance Remains a Future Concern
The evolving threat landscape also includes the potential disruption of quantum computing. The PwC study reveals that almost half of companies are currently in the research phase of implementing quantum-resistant security measures, with 18% testing solutions and 21% in the implementation phase. While awareness is growing, widespread adoption remains in its early stages.
Despite these challenges, Austrian companies demonstrate a balanced approach to security, with 45% equally prioritizing both preventative and reactive measures. “Austrian companies know that threats are constantly changing,” one analyst noted. “Given the dynamic risk landscape, a balanced interplay of prevention and quick reaction is needed. Active action is now required instead of restraint.”
The full “Digital Trust Insights 2026” study is available here: https://direkt.pwc.at/dti.
