AI Adversarial Attacks Are Top Cyber Preparedness Gap, PwC Survey Finds

Adversarial AI attacks represent the biggest cyber preparedness gap for 52% of business and technology leaders, according to PwC's 2027 Global Digital Trust Insights report published October 1.

The consulting firm surveyed 3,934 business and technology executives across 71 countries. The headline finding translates directly into a tight labor market: organizations are hiring for AI risk roles faster than universities and reskilling programs can supply them.

Who owns AI risk?

PwC noted that no single ownership model has emerged. Respondents split as follows:

• 29% place accountability with the CIO, CTO or technology function
• 26% point to a dedicated AI leader or AI function
• 17% name the CISO or cyber function

One-third (33%) of CEOs and security and risk leaders said they have already appointed a chief AI officer or equivalent. That figure implies several hundred new executive posts at large enterprises, plus a reshuffling of reporting lines inside security organizations.

Budgets are climbing

Eighty-four percent of security and finance leaders expect cyber budgets to rise in 2027, six percentage points higher than the 2025 reading. Fifty-eight percent named AI as a top-five budget priority. Top spending categories: responsible AI governance (42%), platform hardening (38%) and supply chain security (35%).

What skills stand between CISOs and autonomous agents?

Nearly half (44%) of CISOs identified workforce skills in AI oversight and governance as the top barrier to expanding AI agent autonomy. A separate 55% ranked reliability of the technology itself as the main constraint.

For job seekers, that combination signals two distinct premium skill clusters: professionals who can audit and govern AI models, and engineers who can harden the underlying infrastructure.

How are employers trying to close the gap?

Three priorities dominate employer responses:

• 59% are increasing growth opportunities for cyber staff
• 53% are rolling out AI-enabled training
• 53% are investing in a strong cyber culture

A separate Swimlane survey found 62% of SOC analysts said AI tools had already helped their SecOps skill development, suggesting on-the-job exposure to AI is becoming a recognized development channel.

What it means for the security workforce

Spending and staffing patterns point to sustained demand for hybrid profiles: people who combine traditional security credentials with prompt evaluation, model risk and data governance experience. Compensation benchmarks will likely tilt toward AI governance certifications rather than tenure alone.

PwC's data does not break out regional or sector hiring trends, so individual candidates should weigh their local market size. The 33% of organizations that have not yet appointed a formal AI risk owner will continue to drive demand for interim and contract AI risk consultants through 2027.