The AI Shift in Cybersecurity: Jobs Are Evolving, Not Disappearing
Babak Mirzahosseiny
Head of Cyber Security @ Greenstone Financial Services | Information Security Management
I've been following the cybersecurity industry closely for the last twenty years, and honestly, I’ve never seen a shift like this with AI. Conversations have gone from “Will AI affect cybersecurity?” to “How soon will AI change everything we do?” After digging into research, talking with industry folks, and tracking trends, I'm eager to share my insights on where our profession is headed.
Growth is the Name of the Game
First off, here's something that might catch many off-guard: despite the fears about AI taking over our jobs, the need for cybersecurity skills is actually skyrocketing. Cybersecurity Ventures predicts we’ll have 3.5 million unfilled positions by 2025—an astonishing leap from the one million job openings in 2013.
And it's not just the usual roles. According to CompTIA’s State of the Tech Workforce 2024 report, cybersecurity jobs in the U.S. are set to grow 267% faster than the national average. The AI-focused cybersecurity market is also booming; it’s valued at $24.82 billion in 2024 and is expected to hit $146.5 billion by 2034 with a 19.4% compound annual growth rate.
These stats made me rethink the whole “AI will replace us” narrative. What’s really happening is transformation—and it brings amazing opportunities.
Reality Check: AI as a Tool, Not a Replacement
From discussions and my own research, I’ve realized that AI isn’t outright replacing cybersecurity workers. Gartner estimates that by 2025, AI will automate about 75% of security operations tasks, but that doesn’t mean 75% fewer jobs will exist. Instead, it allows professionals to concentrate on more strategic tasks that require human judgment, creativity, and contextual awareness.
Here's the big takeaway: AI is great at spotting patterns, processing data, and doing routine analysis, but it falls short when it comes to the nuanced decision-making that senior cybersecurity roles demand. When sophisticated attacker groups launch campaigns that blend real business activities with malicious motives, it takes human expertise to grasp the full business picture, understand the threat actor’s motives, and assess the broader implications.
Changing Roles: What’s Evolving?
Throughout my research, I've noticed some clear patterns in how cybersecurity roles are changing:
Classic Roles Evolving with AI:
Security Analysts are evolving into AI-Augmented Threat Hunters: Instead of manually combing through alerts, analysts now partner with AI to spot complex patterns and concentrate on critical investigations.
Incident Response Specialists are transforming into AI-Assisted Crisis Coordinators: AI can handle initial triage and collect evidence, while humans manage communication with stakeholders, strategic responses, and detailed investigations.
Vulnerability Assessors are turning into Risk Intelligence Strategists: As AI scans and categorizes vulnerabilities, humans focus on assessing business impacts and strategizing risk mitigation.
Brand New Roles Emerging: The most thrilling development I've noticed is the rise of hybrid roles that didn’t even exist five years ago:
AI/ML Security Engineers: These professionals are tasked with designing and securing AI systems—a vital need as more organizations adopt AI tools.
AI Security Operations Consultants: They help organizations incorporate AI into their security processes while ensuring there's still human oversight.
GenAI Security Development Managers: Leaders who ensure that AI development adheres to security best practices from the very start.
AI Threat Intelligence Analysts: Experts who track how adversaries use AI and develop strategies to counter that.
Bridging the Skills Gap
What concerns me most isn't the potential for job loss due to AI but the skills gap we need to address. From what I’ve found, cybersecurity pros who know how to develop, fine-tune, and use AI for threat detection, incident response automation, and data analysis will be in huge demand. On the flip side, those who can’t adapt risk falling behind.
But here’s the good news: you don’t need to become a data scientist overnight. It’s about learning how to effectively work with AI tools. I’ve seen promising shifts where experienced analysts learned to:
Train AI models on their organization’s specific threat landscape.
Interpret AI-generated insights in a business context.
Create workflows that combine human and AI efforts.
Validate and enhance AI recommendations.
The Human Touch: Our Value is Rising
After digging into the latest trends and chatting with experts, I’ve reached the conclusion that certain human traits are becoming even more valuable:
Strategic Thinking and Business Context: AI can tell you there’s unusual network traffic at 3 AM, but a human connects the dots—maybe it coincides with a major product launch or a disgruntled employee’s last day.
Creativity and Adversarial Thinking: The top threat hunters I know think like attackers—coming up with creative bypasses and novel attack strategies. This kind of creativity is uniquely human.
Communication and Leadership: As AI takes over more technical tasks, the ability to convey technical risks in understandable terms, lead diverse incident response teams, and communicate with senior leaders is becoming increasingly crucial.
Ethical Decision-Making: When AI flags suspicious behavior that might actually be legitimate employee actions, it’s on humans to make nuanced ethical choices regarding privacy and investigations.
Challenges Ahead
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the real challenges coming our way. Some entry-level roles are under threat. CompTIA revealed a drop of 1,703 cybersecurity engineer/analyst job openings from April to May 2025. Companies like CrowdStrike trimmed 500 jobs in May 2025 to prioritize AI-powered solutions.
The World Economic Forum found that 41% of employers worldwide are planning to cut their workforce over the next five years due to AI automation. These figures aren’t just numbers; they affect real people’s careers.
That said, my analysis suggests that these disruptions are mostly hitting specific areas:
Routine SOC monitoring and alert triage.
Basic vulnerability scanning and reporting.
Simple compliance checks and documentation.
Entry-level data analysis tasks.
Getting Ready for What’s Next
Based on what I’ve learned, here’s how I think cybersecurity professionals can prepare:
Immediate Steps (Next 6 Months):
Start playing around with AI tools in your current position.
Take online courses in AI/ML basics geared toward security professionals.
Join groups focused on AI in cybersecurity.
Begin learning how to prompt engineer for security-related tasks.
Medium-term Goals (1-2 Years):
Build expertise in training and fine-tuning AI models for security uses.
Enhance cross-functional collaboration skills.
Focus on strategic risk assessment and effective business communication.
Gain experience in AI governance and ethics.
Long-term Career Path (3-5 Years):
Position yourself as a bridge between technical AI capabilities and business security needs.
Cultivate thought leadership in human-AI partnerships.
Think about specializing in new areas like AI security, quantum-safe cryptography, or IoT security.
Deepen your knowledge of regulatory compliance for AI systems.
The Takeaway: Transformation is Here
After my extensive research, I’m convinced that AI marks the biggest transformation in cybersecurity we’ve seen since the internet. But it’s not the end for cybersecurity careers—it’s merely the beginning of a new era.
The professionals who will excel are those who welcome AI as a powerful ally while honing their uniquely human skills. We’re shifting from a time where success meant processing information faster to one where success will hinge on providing strategic insights, creative solutions, and effective leadership.
The cybersecurity field has always revolved around staying ahead of evolving adversaries. Now, the adaptability that has made us successful against human threats will also help us thrive alongside AI.
The future is bright for cybersecurity pros who can think strategically, communicate well, and collaborate seamlessly with AI systems. The real question isn’t if AI will alter our jobs—it’s whether we’ll take the lead in that change or let it dictate our path.
What’s your take on AI in cybersecurity? How are you gearing up for these shifts? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.
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