ISC2 Arms Cybersecurity Pros for AI Era With New Strategy Certificate

As enterprises continue to rush headlong into the age of artificial intelligence, cybersecurity professionals are finding themselves at a critical inflection point—facing both unprecedented opportunities and deeply complex challenges. This week, ISC2, the global nonprofit that certifies and supports over 500,000 cybersecurity professionals worldwide, launched a timely initiative to help them meet the moment: a new AI-focused certificate and training program aimed squarely at closing the knowledge gap around responsible and secure AI deployment.

The Building AI Strategy Certificate, backed by six structured courses, is ISC2’s most comprehensive educational effort to date in the fast-evolving AI security space. It arrives as recent research by the organization paints a striking picture: 35% of cybersecurity professionals say AI is the biggest skills gap on their teams, and 42% report that their organizations are already experimenting with AI-powered security tools. Among those already using such tools, 70% say the results have been overwhelmingly positive.

But enthusiasm alone isn’t enough.

“With the exponential growth of AI adoption, cybersecurity teams must understand what it takes to effectively and securely deploy these solutions within their organizations,” said ISC2 Chief Operating Officer Casey Marks. “This creates a tremendous career growth opportunity for the cyber professionals who demonstrate their AI expertise.”

That professional development opportunity is front and center in the new certificate program, which blends theory with actionable skills. Participants will complete 16 hours of on-demand learning, diving into critical areas such as AI fundamentals, global regulatory compliance, managing overconfidence in AI systems, and the challenges of designing security into AI architectures from the ground up.

The certificate isn’t just about technical skills—it’s also about strategic foresight. One of the courses, The Evolving Cybersecurity Workforce, focuses on helping professionals reframe leadership and talent development through the lens of AI’s growing footprint in the industry.

Crucially, ISC2 is targeting its existing member base—especially those holding gold-standard certifications like the CISSP—with discounted access and 16 continuing education credits. Each course is also available à la carte, making the program accessible whether learners want a full immersion or just a targeted knowledge boost.

The move reflects a broader shift across the cybersecurity landscape, where generative AI, autonomous systems, and intelligent automation are forcing CISOs and their teams to reimagine traditional security postures. For many, AI represents both the attacker and the shield—and learning to wield it effectively could be the key to long-term resilience.

ISC2’s program aims to put cyber professionals in the driver's seat.

As Marks put it: “The AI certificate and courses enable cybersecurity professionals… to further their professional development and position themselves as security leaders in an AI-centric workplace.”

In a world where threats are evolving as fast as the algorithms themselves, ISC2’s latest offering might just help cybersecurity teams stay one step ahead.