Cybersecurity Careers in the Next Decade: Impact of AI and Emerging Trends

 AI's Impact on Cybersecurity Leadership in OT Over the Next 5-10 Years

I have recently become interested in how to future-proof cyber careers, given the incredible progress of large language models, Artificial Intelligence, and Machine Learning.

I watched the Geoffrey Hinton interview on The Diary of A CEO on YouTube and found it fascinating. If you haven't heard it, then I recommend watching or listening to it on a podcast app.

 Sam Altman wrote in an article entitled "The Gentle Singularity" that he forecasts the 2030s are expected to be remarkably distinct from any previous era. Altman is speculating that we might go “from a major materials science breakthrough one year to true high-bandwidth brain-computer interfaces the next year”.

 I also read in the Telegraph that "City giants replace graduate jobs with AI". The article reports that major UK professional services firms, including the Big Four, are significantly cutting graduate recruitment as AI systems increasingly take over entry-level tasks such as data analysis, formatting, and report checking, which is work traditionally done by trainees. This has led to a reported 44% drop in graduate job postings, contributing to the weakest UK graduate job market since 2018. The shift raises concerns about future talent pipelines, as AI disrupts traditional pathways into professions such as accountancy, law, and consultancy. Graduates now face the challenge of entering a workforce where early-career roles are vanishing, prompting calls for reimagined training models that emphasise human skills AI cannot replicate.

Then there is the godfather of AI, Geoffrey Hinton, who thinks we should retrain as plumbers since AI will not be dexterous. We are in a period of disruption greater than anything we have experienced in previous history. 

So, as Cyber Leaders, where does this have us heading? Where are we going to be in 2030?

 AI’s Rapid Transformation of the Cybersecurity Landscape

Artificial intelligence is fundamentally reshaping cybersecurity at an unprecedented pace. In recent years, AI and machine learning have moved from experimental concepts to core tools for threat detection, automation, and even decision-making in security operations. We are working with a company that is building AI tools to reduce much of the mundane work that cyber analysts must do.  I have been amazed at what AI can do and how fast it can detect and stop an attack.

This is causing a significant shift in the skills and roles that cybersecurity professionals need to succeed. It is reported that more than half of new cybersecurity job postings now require AI-related competencies, which is a remarkable change indicating that AI knowledge is no longer optional but expected.  The trends seem to suggest that professionals entering the field between now and 2030 must be prepared to embrace AI or risk being left behind.

I am still studying at a UK University as a lifelong learner.  What surprises me is that there is not a whole module on AI. I think that academic programs are scrambling to catch up with the AI reality. Academia traditionally lags behind fast-moving technology, but just searching on the internet for courses show signs of change are emerging. New courses and certifications focused on AI in security are being introduced; for instance, CompTIA plans to launch a SecAI+ certification in 2026 to address AI in cybersecurity. Some universities in the USA are starting to offer specialised AI-cyber programs, with some having started already this year.

Traditional university cyber undergraduate and postgraduate degrees are still valuable, providing a strong foundation in cybersecurity. However, students should supplement their studies with knowledge of AI (through self-study, electives, or certificates). AI literacy is becoming as essential as knowledge of networks or operating systems. Not having it in a university program could leave a gap you’ll need to fill proactively. 

Emerging Roles and Evolving Skills (2025–2035) 

AI’s rise is not eliminating cybersecurity jobs. It is simply transforming them. Several times in my career, I have had to reinvent myself as technology has shifted. Cyber people are going to have to do that now, and the shift is bigger than we have seen before.  Routine, tier-1 tasks (such as basic monitoring, log analysis, or simple incident triage) are being heavily automated by AI, freeing humans to focus on higher-level problems.  One report suggests that AI can already handle approximately 84% of routine security tasks, dramatically reducing the analyst workload.

 This means that entry-level roles will evolve: instead of manually sifting through alerts, junior analysts will need skills in validating and tuning AI outputs, handling exceptions, and addressing complex incidents that AI flags. Far from making humans obsolete, AI is amplifying the need for human judgment and context. Organisations still require people who can understand business implications, creatively solve novel problems, and provide ethical oversight for AI-driven decisions. As the World Economic Forum emphasises, keeping humans “in the loop” is essential: AI should be an accelerator to decision-making, not a replacement for human experts. In practice, cybersecurity expertise is more vital than ever, but it must be coupled with the ability to harness AI as a force multiplier.

We are going to see new hybrid roles emerge at the intersection of AI and security. Reading the reports, experts predict that by 2030, some of the hottest cybersecurity jobs will be ones that barely exist today. We are likely to see roles like an AI Security Advisor, a role focused on auditing and securing AI models and platforms. These professionals will examine algorithms for bias or vulnerabilities (such as data poisoning and adversarial inputs), secure the AI development pipeline, and define best practices for safe AI adoption within the enterprise.  Another role predicted for the Autonomous Incident Responder is the next evolution of SOC engineers who work with AI-driven response systems. They will deploy and supervise AI agents that automatically contain threats, while maintaining human-in-the-loop oversight for sensitive decisions. They also audit AI decisions to identify and correct errors or biases before implementation. It is very likely we will see an automated AI Red Team/Adversarial Tester. This will be an extension of the classic penetration tester into the realm of AI. These “red team” experts will probe AI systems for weaknesses, attempt to jailbreak LLMs, manipulate model outputs, or exploit AI decision logic to improve resiliency. Traditional ethical hacking is expanding to cover AI algorithms and datasets as attack surfaces.

At the same time, some of the more traditional roles we see today are likely to evolve rather than be eliminated. What we will see is more analysts using AI agents to augment their roles. This could lead to less vacancies in the market as more is done with less people, but for instance, Level 1 SOC analysts won’t vanish outright. Even technical report writing which is increasingly augmented by AI (e.g. drafting incident reports) still needs humans to interpret and contextualise those reports for business and regulatory audiences. 

Legacy skill sets like managing on-prem firewalls or manual vulnerability scanning are declining in value unless complemented by modern contexts (cloud, automation, AI integration). In short, the career path forward favours adaptability: roles that embrace cloud computing, AI tools, and automation will thrive, whereas narrow, tool-specific or purely manual roles will stagnate.

 I advocate for always learning and seeking opportunities to gain knowledge in Cybersecurity. I encourage my team to develop and to take training courses. You have to do this in this profession. One industry coach in the articles put it succinctly: “The biggest career risk isn’t being non-technical—it’s falling behind the tech curve.”  This means regularly auditing your own skill set and identifying parts of your job that AI or scripts could take over.

 There's nothing new here. It's a "Who Moved My Cheese?" moment. If you proactively upskill in adjacent areas (such as AI, data analytics, cloud, and compliance) and adopt a mindset of lifelong learning, you mitigate the risk of obsolescence. Those who start adapting now, sharing their new insights (via blogs or internal projects) and collaborating across disciplines (such as security with AI engineers, legal, and operations), will position themselves as forward-thinking leaders.

 In contrast, those who cling to a “status quo” skillset may find their roles drastically redefined without them in the next decade. The good news is that industry data and expert opinions agree that human cybersecurity talent remains irreplaceable when augmented with AI. The future belongs to security professionals who can combine deep expertise with AI-assisted efficiency.

 Sources:

• CompTIA. (2025, June 18). The future of cybersecurity: How AI is transforming the workforce. CompTIA CyberEnterprise Blog. Retrieved June 25, 2025, from CompTIA website

• Industrial Cyber. (2024, October 23). Addressing AI in Industrial cybersecurity: A strategic imperative. Industrial Cyber. Retrieved June 25, 2025, from Industrial Cyber website

• Imtiaz, S. (2025, May 31). The future of cybersecurity jobs: What’s thriving, evolving, and disappearing by 2030. Dev.to. Retrieved June 25, 2025, from https://dev.to/sameerimtiaz/the-future-of-cybersecurity-jobs-whats-thriving-evolving-and-disappearing-by-2030-29ea

• Rockwell Automation. (2025, February 7). OT Cybersecurity in 2025: 6 trends to watch. Rockwell Automation. Retrieved June 25, 2025, from Rockwell Automation website

• Shipulin, A. (2024, December 17). 2024 look‑back and 2025 predictions for OT/ICS security. Nozomi Networks. Retrieved June 25, 2025, from Nozomi Networks website

• Steele, G. (2024, January 15). Cybersecurity is on the frontline of our AI future. World Economic Forum. Retrieved June 25, 2025, from World Economic Forum website

• Destination Certification. (2025). Will AI replace cybersecurity experts? Future insights. Destination Certification. Retrieved June 25, 2025, from Destination Certification website

• BankInfoSecurity. (2025, April 15). Cybersecurity’s talent crisis: Bridging the skills gap in the age of AI & OT. BankInfoSecurity. Retrieved June 25, 2025, from BankInfoSecurity website

• Nucamp. (2025, February 20). What role will AI play in cybersecurity in 2025? Nucamp Blog. Retrieved June 25, 2025, from Nucamp website.

• Washburn University. (2025, June 2). Washburn University to offer AI, cybersecurity certificate programs beginning Fall 2025. Washburn Univ. News. Retrieved June 25, 2025, from Washburn University website

• Altman, S. (2025, June 10). The gentle singularity. Sam Altman’s Blog. Retrieved June 25, 2025, from https://blog.samaltman.com/the-gentle-singularity

• Goss, L. (2025, 22 June). City giants replace graduate jobs with AI. The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved June 25, 2025, from Telegraph website

• Hinton, G. E. (2025, June 16). Godfather of AI: I tried to warn them, but we've already lost control! Geoffrey Hinton [Audio podcast episode]. In The Diary of a CEO with Steven Bartlett [YouTube video]. YouTube. Retrieved June 25, 2025, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=giT0ytynSqg