Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionising cybersecurity in Singapore, with 82% of organisations already integrating AI into their security frameworks, according to a 2025 IDC survey commissioned by Fortinet. The study highlights AI’s pivotal role in enhancing speed, accuracy, and scale in security operations, as well as its influence on hiring and investment strategies.
AI’s impact is evident on both sides of the cybersecurity battle. Whilst defenders use AI to automate detection and accelerate response times, attackers are also leveraging AI for more sophisticated and adaptive threats. The survey found that 56% of Singaporean organisations faced AI-driven cyber threats in the past year, with significant increases in threat volume reported.
The adoption of AI has moved from pilot projects to full-scale operations, with companies employing AI for advanced tasks such as predictive threat modelling and AI-driven incident response. Despite this progress, trust in fully autonomous AI actions remains limited, with many organisations still in a “co-pilot” phase.
AI’s integration is reshaping the cybersecurity workforce, with roles like security data scientists and AI security engineers in high demand. This shift reflects a broader trend of building teams around AI capabilities.
Cybersecurity budgets are increasing, albeit modestly, with spending focused on identity security, network security, and cloud-native application protection. However, many teams remain under-resourced, with only a small percentage of the workforce dedicated to cybersecurity.
The survey also indicates a strategic shift towards unified cybersecurity frameworks, with 96% of respondents considering or implementing security and networking convergence. Simon Piff, Research Vice-President at IDC Asia-Pacific, noted, “AI is fundamentally reshaping how threats are identified, prioritised, and acted upon, demanding a parallel shift in cybersecurity strategy and talent.”
