October marks cybersecurity month, and according to recent data, almost two thirds (61%) of workers admitted that they’ve received no training whatsoever on AI-driven cyber threats in the past 12 months.

The study conducted by QA, an AI technology and cybersecurity training partner, revealed that there’s a significant gap in how prepared businesses are against AI-driven threats, and how confident staff feel in spotting these convincing fakes.

Over one in five (22%) confirmed that their organisation has no policies in place in combating phishing emails, deepfake voice scams to AI-generated fake invoices.

As AI-powered cyber threats become more common and accessible, attacks that were once highly sophisticated are now increasingly difficult for employees to identify, creating new risks for organisations of all sizes.

Confidence is a necessity for both businesses and workers when it comes to speaking up and spotting any potential threats to their organisation. Surprisingly, 18-24-year-olds were the least confident in getting caught out, with almost two in five (39%) admitting their worries. Being so exposed to media, Generation Z potentially have a good grasp on how convincing AI can be, compared to other generations who aren’t as digitally savvy.

It isn’t just age where there appears to be a confidence gap, but job role too. Only 9% of non-management workers said they were very confident they could spot an AI-generated phishing email, compared to 48% of owners/ partners and 33% of board directors. Suggesting that there’s a clear need for training to be filtered down throughout workforces.

Where training has been received, only one in four (25%) confirmed they’ve had specific training on AI-driven threats, while another 30% said that AI threats had only been covered as part of generic cybersecurity training. Meaning that 70% of workers have either received no training or have only had AI threats covered through other forms of cybersecurity training, rather than taking dedicated training.

Speaking on the findings, Dr Vicky Crockett, Portfolio Director for AI at QA, is sharing her expertise on how businesses can help employees be well informed and confident in spotting potential AI-driven cyber threats, that can ultimately negatively impact businesses.

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She said: “It’s clear from the survey data that organisations need to build the foundations on basic AI literacy, so that business leaders and workers feel confident in spotting these threats. When it comes to training, it’s imperative that all job roles can positively spot any AI-driven cyber threats, but when it comes to AI training, there’s no one size fits all, so combining baseline AI literacy learning with job specific training is usually the best fit.”

Jo Bishenden, Chief Learning Officer at QA, further commented: “The findings suggest organisations are facing a skills challenge as much as a cybersecurity challenge. AI is changing the way people work, but many employees are not building the skills they need to understand the risks and opportunities that come with these new technologies.

“As AI becomes part of everyday working life, businesses need to invest in building AI literacy, cyber awareness and digital confidence across the entire workforce. Through the right skills training, apprenticeships and continuous learning programmes, organisations can equip their people with the skills they need to work safely, adapt to change and make the most of emerging technologies.”