Paper Type
ERF
Abstract
The cybersecurity workforce requires communication and stakeholder engagement skills beyond technical expertise, yet most training programs emphasize technical abilities while neglecting soft skills development. This study addresses this gap using a design science research approach to develop an AI-enabled virtual reality (VR) training artifact for cybersecurity soft skills. The artifact integrates immersive VR scenarios with generative AI conversational agents that simulate stakeholder interactions and provide structured mentoring feedback across five sequential NIST CSF-aligned audit scenarios. Grounded in Social Cognitive Theory and implemented using the Convai platform with Google Gemini 2.5 Flash on Meta Quest 3, the artifact fills a gap unaddressed by prior VR soft skills and AI coaching research. The artifact is currently being piloted, and this work represents an ongoing effort. The study contributes design insights for integrating immersive simulation and AI-driven coaching to support cybersecurity workforce development.
Paper Number
1674
Recommended Citation
Amoah, Nicholas M.; Pourbehzadi, Motahareh; Farokhnia Hamedani, Moez; and Iyer, Lakshmi, "Designing an AI-Enabled Virtual Reality Artifact for Cybersecurity Soft Skill Development: A Design Science Approach" (2026). AMCIS 2026 Proceedings. 5.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/amcis2026/ai_aiaa/ai_aiaa/5
Designing an AI-Enabled Virtual Reality Artifact for Cybersecurity Soft Skill Development: A Design Science Approach
The cybersecurity workforce requires communication and stakeholder engagement skills beyond technical expertise, yet most training programs emphasize technical abilities while neglecting soft skills development. This study addresses this gap using a design science research approach to develop an AI-enabled virtual reality (VR) training artifact for cybersecurity soft skills. The artifact integrates immersive VR scenarios with generative AI conversational agents that simulate stakeholder interactions and provide structured mentoring feedback across five sequential NIST CSF-aligned audit scenarios. Grounded in Social Cognitive Theory and implemented using the Convai platform with Google Gemini 2.5 Flash on Meta Quest 3, the artifact fills a gap unaddressed by prior VR soft skills and AI coaching research. The artifact is currently being piloted, and this work represents an ongoing effort. The study contributes design insights for integrating immersive simulation and AI-driven coaching to support cybersecurity workforce development.
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