AI-powered phishing scams are creating emails that fool even the most experienced IT professionals. In fact, some malicious attacks, such as domain spoofing, are indistinguishable to the human eye. Hackers are always finding new ways to corrupt your employees' inbox. As email risks evolve, so, too, must our approach to security training.
According to our latest research, 95% of IT leaders say they’re delivering some form of email security training, but only 26% believe it’s having a strong impact on employee behavior. That gap is alarming.
It points to a hard truth: human error remains the leading cause of data breaches, and the way we train people to prevent those errors isn’t working. Outdated formats like annual e-learning modules, generic video tutorials or quizzes may check compliance boxes, but they do little to change day-to-day behavior.
This results in employees tuning out, mistakes continuing, and your organization remaining vulnerable.
The problem with traditional security training
Most security training today feels like a chore – for IT teams and employees. It’s typically delivered once or twice a year in long, clunky formats that are easy to ignore and hard to remember. This type of training is detached from everyday work, leaving employees to guess how policies apply when they're under pressure or dealing with a real-time threat.
This disconnection leads to security fatigue. Employees get tired of being told what to do without understanding why. They start skipping through modules, zoning out during monotonous workshops, or dismissing warnings altogether. If secure workflows are inefficient, most employees will find insecure workarounds to get the job done fast. The result? Risky behaviors go unchallenged, and your training investment falls flat.
Our latest research backs this up:
- 36% of employees think current email security training is a waste of their time – rising to 54% among those who frequently make mistakes
- 38% of employees aren’t clear on their company’s email security policy
- 95% of IT leaders say they’re providing some form of training, but only 26% believe it impacts employee behavior very well.
What’s needed now is a total paradigm shift, from reactive, generic instruction to dynamic, real-time learning that adapts to how people actually work. Enter AI security awareness training.
What is AI security awareness training?
Rather than relying on scheduled, generic training sessions, AI security training delivers real-time, contextual coaching directly within an employee’s workflow. If someone is about to interact with a duplicitous email, forget encryption, or misuse the Bcc field, AI steps in with a prompt or guidance, in real time.
This approach does two things: it turns everyday actions into teachable moments, and reinforces learning through relevance and repetition. This in turn drives long-term changes in behaviors.
Think of it as fighting fire with fire. If phishing threats are powered by AI, then training should be, too. AI can identify behavioral patterns, detect risk earlier, and tailor interventions based on each user’s habits. This is something traditional training simply can’t match.
And because the training is light-touch, timely, and specific, it doesn’t overwhelm employees or disrupt productivity. It becomes part of how people work, and not another task on their to-do list.
What employees actually want
If we’re being honest, most employees don’t wake up excited to complete their security training – but that doesn’t mean they don’t care. What they need is training that’s relevant, engaging, and worth their time.
Our research found that 36% of employees believe their current training is ineffective. Among those who frequently make mistakes, that number jumps to 54%. This highlights a failure to reach the people who need it most.
36% of employees also said they weren’t clear on company policies, especially around outbound security and sending practices.
What employees find most useful are short, actionable lessons that are tied to real-life scenarios. They don’t want another 20-minute video – they want guidance when they’re about to make a mistake.
AI security awareness training fits this model perfectly. It’s timely, personalized, and embedded within the tools employees already use, making it more likely that employees will absorb and apply what they’ve learned
All this results in fewer mistakes, better compliance, and a workforce that understands why secure behavior matters.
Keeping up with evolving threats
Traditional training simply can’t keep up with the threats AI presents. Organizations need a smarter, more sustainable way to help employees work securely and AI is the only way to fight this.
AI-driven security awareness training shifts the approach from reactive to proactive. Instead of telling employees what they should have done after a mistake, AI empowers them in the moment – when it really matters. It learns from behavior, tailors interventions, and constantly adapts to new threats.
This is about more than better protection; it’s about fostering a culture where employees feel supported rather than policed and where learning fits into daily routines and security awareness becomes a shared responsibility, not just a checkbox.
Forward-thinking platforms are already making this shift possible by embedding real-time coaching and adaptive training directly into existing email workflows. It’s a modern, human-first approach that supports IT leaders and employees alike.
Ready to rethink your training strategy?
The cybersecurity landscape has changed, and employee training needs to change with it. Outdated methods that rely on annual refreshers or generic quizzes just don’t cut it in the face of sophisticated, AI-powered threats.
AI offers a new path. One that works in real-time, is personalized, and truly effective. It arms employees with the tools to respond to risks as they arise, and helps organizations build a stronger, more resilient security culture from the inside out. Find out how we can help.
Want to delve a little deeper into our research into the latest email security trends? Explore Zivver's Email Security Trends 2025
