Fortinet, the global cybersecurity leader driving the convergence of networking and security, today unveiled key findings from a 2025 IDC study showing how organizations across the Philippines are now placing artificial intelligence (AI) at the heart of their cybersecurity strategies.
Commissioned by Fortinet, the report reveals that AI has moved beyond the buzz — it is now a strategic force driving speed, precision, and scalability in cyber defense, influencing how companies build teams, make investments, and design security architecture.
AI’s Expanding Role in the Cyber Battlefield
AI is reshaping the entire cybersecurity landscape — empowering defenders while also arming attackers.
According to the IDC study, 78% of organizations in the Philippines have encountered AI-powered cyber threats in the past year. Of those, 64% saw their threat volume double, while 28% experienced a threefold surge.
These new, AI-driven attacks are faster, stealthier, and more adaptive — exposing gaps in visibility, governance, and incident response.
For defenders, however, AI offers a way to counterbalance the threat: automating detection, accelerating response, and enhancing threat intelligence at unprecedented speed and scale.
From Experimentation to Execution: AI Adoption Accelerates
AI is no longer a pilot project — it’s now a core component of cybersecurity operations.
Over 90% of Philippine organizations surveyed already use AI in some form within their security ecosystem.
While most started with AI-powered detection, the adoption curve is quickly expanding to include:
- Automated incident response
- Predictive threat modeling
- AI-driven threat intelligence
- Behavioral analytics
These advanced use cases mark a shift from reactive detection to proactive prediction and orchestration — the new frontier in cyber resilience.
Even Generative AI (GenAI) is finding its place in everyday operations, from writing detection rules and identifying social engineering attempts, to running playbooks and guided investigations.
Still, full automation remains limited — most organizations are in what IDC calls the “co-pilot phase,” where AI assists human analysts rather than replacing them.
AI is Redefining the Cyber Workforce
The rise of AI is also reshaping cybersecurity roles.
Across the Philippines, the most in-demand roles now include:
- Security Data Scientists
- Threat Intelligence Analysts
- AI Security Engineers
- AI Security Researchers
- AI-driven Incident Response Specialists
Organizations are no longer just deploying AI tools — they’re building teams around AI capabilities, marking a new era in talent strategy and security operations design.
Investments Shift from Infrastructure to Intelligence
Cybersecurity spending continues to rise, but organizations are now prioritizing strategic, intelligence-driven investments.
While 80% of organizations reported budget increases, most were modest — with 44% seeing less than a 5% bump.
Spending is now focused on five key areas for the next 12–18 months:
- Identity Security
- Network Security
- SASE / Zero Trust Architectures
- Cyber Resilience
- Cloud-Native Application Protection
This shift signals a move from hardware-heavy spending to risk-focused strategies designed to outpace evolving threats.
Teams Under Pressure: Doing More with Less
Despite growing threats and executive awareness, cybersecurity teams remain under-resourced and overstretched.
Only 6% of the total workforce in most organizations is allocated to IT, and just 13% of that is dedicated to cybersecurity.
Even more concerning, fewer than one in six organizations have a standalone Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), and only 6% maintain a dedicated security operations or threat-hunting team.
As a result, teams face burnout, tool sprawl, and execution challenges, underscoring the urgent need for smarter, AI-driven resource models.
Consolidation and Convergence: The Next Strategic Move
With complexity growing, organizations are turning to consolidated and converged security architectures for efficiency, visibility, and resilience.
A striking 96% of respondents said they are either merging or evaluating the convergence of security and networking.
Meanwhile, 70% are pursuing vendor consolidation — not just for cost savings, but for better integration, faster support, and a stronger overall security posture.
Expert Insights
Simon Piff, Research Vice President, IDC Asia-Pacific, said:
“The findings show that AI is no longer experimental. It’s now a fundamental part of security operations — transforming how threats are detected, analyzed, and acted upon. This evolution requires a parallel shift in cybersecurity strategy, structure, and talent.”
Bambi Escalante, Country Manager, Fortinet Philippines, added:
“CISOs in the Philippines are now entering an advanced phase of cybersecurity — where AI not only strengthens defences but also redefines how teams, budgets, and priorities are built. At Fortinet, we’re embedding AI across our platform to empower faster, smarter, and more resilient responses as today’s cyber risks become more complex and distributed.”
