The growing demand for cybersecurity talent is outpacing the supply of skilled professionals, and this is especially true in the field of identity security. With cyber threats becoming more sophisticated and the number of identities within organisations expanding, companies are struggling to find qualified experts to manage and protect sensitive data. The challenge of filling Identity and Access Management (IAM) roles is becoming a major barrier for businesses looking to stay ahead of cybercriminals.
However, there is hope. As organisations face a growing shortage of skilled IAM professionals, AI and automation are emerging as powerful tools to bridge the skills gap and provide businesses with the security and efficiency they need in 2025. By automating routine tasks and leveraging AI-driven technologies, companies can enhance their identity security systems, reduce manual workloads, and improve their overall security posture.
The Growing Skills Gap in Identity Security
The identity security skills gap is a significant issue for many businesses. A few key factors contributing to this challenge include:
- Complexity of Security Needs: As organisations increase their digital footprint, the sheer number of identities within their systems grows. This complexity makes it difficult to effectively manage and secure identities, particularly with traditional methods that rely heavily on manual intervention.
- Rising Cyber Threats: With increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks targeting credentials and identity systems, businesses need highly specialised knowledge to defend against these threats.
- Workforce Shortage: Despite the high demand for cybersecurity professionals, there simply aren’t enough qualified experts to fill IAM roles. This shortage is especially pronounced in identity security, where expertise is both rare and highly sought after.
This shortage of skilled professionals leaves businesses vulnerable, making it essential to find ways to enhance IAM processes without solely relying on human resources.
How AI and Automation Are Closing the Gap
The integration of AI and automation is proving to be a game-changer in identity security. By streamlining processes and augmenting human capabilities, these technologies allow organisations to maintain strong security without needing an army of skilled professionals. Here’s how AI and automation are transforming identity security:
- Automating Repetitive Tasks
One of the biggest challenges in identity security is the sheer volume of repetitive, manual tasks that security teams must handle. From account provisioning and deprovisioning to password resets and compliance audits, these tasks consume significant time and resources.Automation helps alleviate this burden by streamlining processes such as user access management, permissions review, and the enforcement of security policies. This frees up security teams to focus on more strategic concerns, such as identifying emerging threats or addressing complex security challenges.With automated identity management systems in place, organisations can also reduce the risk of human error – one of the most common causes of security breaches. - AI-Driven Threat Detection
AI-powered security systems can analyse vast amounts of data in real-time, identifying anomalies that would be difficult or even impossible for humans to spot. By continuously monitoring identity-related activities, these systems can detect suspicious behaviour such as unusual login patterns or unauthorised access attempts.Machine learning algorithms enable these systems to learn and adapt, becoming more effective over time at recognising and mitigating threats before they escalate into major security incidents. - Improved Risk Management
AI’s ability to analyse and process data at scale means it can also assess security risks with far greater precision than traditional methods. Instead of relying on static rules or manual checks, AI-driven systems can dynamically evaluate risk based on user behaviour, historical data, and real-time events.This leads to more accurate risk assessments and faster decision-making, as security teams can receive actionable insights and predictive alerts. Adaptive access controls, powered by AI, can respond to changing security conditions in real time, providing a more resilient and responsive IAM system. - Assisting Decision-Making
Even with the increased automation of many IAM tasks, security professionals still need to make critical decisions regarding access control, threat response, and compliance. However, with a shortage of qualified personnel, many organisations are struggling to fill the necessary roles.This is where AI-assisted decision-making comes in. By providing contextual insights and actionable intelligence, AI can help security teams make better-informed decisions more quickly. With AI-enabled IAM systems, organisations can empower their teams – whether highly skilled or not – to respond to security threats with greater confidence and precision.
When AI Might Not Be the Best Fit
While AI offers transformative benefits for identity security, it’s important to recognise that it isn’t always the right solution for every organisation or scenario. Here are some situations where AI may not be the best fit:
- Lack of Sufficient Data: AI relies on large amounts of data to train and function effectively. If an organisation lacks the historical data or access patterns needed for AI to make accurate decisions, the benefits may be limited.
- High Initial Investment: Implementing AI-driven systems can require significant upfront investment in infrastructure, tools, and expertise. For smaller organisations with limited budgets, this might not be feasible compared to manual or less complex solutions.
- False Positives and Complexity: AI systems can sometimes flag benign activities as threats, creating noise that overwhelms security teams. Without the right oversight and processes in place, this can lead to inefficiencies rather than improvements.
- Low-Risk Environments: Not all organisations face the same level of cyber threats. For businesses in low-risk sectors or with simpler security needs, traditional IAM approaches might suffice without the need for AI-driven complexity.
- Human Oversight Challenges: While AI enhances decision-making, it still requires human oversight to address edge cases, interpret results, and make policy changes. Organisations without skilled teams to manage and adjust AI systems may struggle to get the most out of their investment.
Recognising when AI is not the best fit is as important as knowing when to leverage it. At Xalient, we work with organisations to evaluate their specific needs, ensuring that any AI-driven solutions align with their objectives and deliver meaningful value.
The Future of Identity Security: AI and Automation Lead the Way
As AI and automation continue to evolve, their role in identity security will only grow more central. Businesses will increasingly rely on these technologies not only to manage identities but also to detect, prevent, and respond to threats in real time.
AI-driven security solutions will become more sophisticated, offering even greater levels of automation, intelligence, and predictive capabilities. Organisations will be able to scale their identity security systems without needing to constantly expand their workforce, making it easier to stay ahead of threats and maintain compliance in a fast-paced, ever-changing digital landscape.
Partnering for Success in Identity Security
As the demand for skilled identity security professionals continues to outpace supply, AI and automation are vital tools for organisations looking to future-proof their security operations. By implementing AI-driven IAM solutions, businesses can reduce their reliance on manual processes, enhance threat detection, and provide their teams with the support they need to stay ahead of evolving cyber risks.
Struggling to address your identity security challenges? Contact us to learn how we can help bridge the gap with AI and automation.
