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Why can AI widen and narrow the talent gap at the same time?
The apparent paradox comes from measuring different things. Organizations can report shortages of particular cybersecurity skills even as AI tools take on some data-heavy operational work. Automating tasks may change how many people a team needs for some activities; deploying AI also creates security and governance work, while the people overseeing systems still need sound judgment and communication skills.
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That distinction matters: a skills shortage is not a count of unfilled jobs, and expected changes in hiring are not observed employment totals. The available surveys do not establish a net number of cybersecurity jobs AI has added or displaced.
What do the latest surveys say about skills and staffing?
The World Economic Forum (WEF), ISC2, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) describe different populations and measures. Their figures should not be combined into a single estimate of the global talent gap.
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| Source and measure | Finding | What it indicates |
|---|---|---|
| WEF, Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2025; organizations | The reported cyber skills gap increased 8% from 2024. Two-thirds of organizations reported moderate-to-critical skills gaps, and 14% were confident they had the people and skills they needed. | Organizations widely report difficulty securing needed skills. These are survey findings, not a count of vacancies. |
| WEF, Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2025; organizations | 66% expected AI to have the most significant impact on cybersecurity in the coming year; 37% said they had processes to assess AI tools before deployment. | Expected impact and readiness do not move in lockstep: many foresee significant change, while fewer report a process for assessing tools before use. |
| ISC2, 2025 workforce study; respondents and hiring managers | Hiring managers’ five most sought-after skills were problem solving (29%), collaboration (24%), communication (22%), willingness to learn (20%), and strategic thinking (16%). Professionals also identified AI and cloud security as in-demand technical skills. | Hiring priorities include adaptable human capabilities alongside technical knowledge. |
| ISC2, 2025 workforce study; workforce-gap estimate | ISC2 did not publish a workforce-gap estimate in its 2025 study. It said respondents emphasized more specific skills and staffing measures instead. | Do not treat a previous year’s shortage estimate as a current 2025 figure. |
ISC2’s 2024 and 2025 workforce studies point toward a growing focus on critical skills rather than simply adding people. That is a shift in reported priorities, not evidence that the overall need for cybersecurity workers has disappeared.
Is AI taking cybersecurity jobs, especially entry-level jobs?
There is no measured answer in the cited evidence. In ISC2’s 2025 pulse survey of 436 cybersecurity professionals, 52% expected AI security tools to reduce entry-level staffing needs to some extent, while 31% saw potential for new types of entry- or junior-level roles. These are professional perceptions, not observed hiring totals or a longitudinal study of employment.
Rank #2
Some tasks are more amenable to automation than others. AI tools can be used for data-heavy operational work, but cybersecurity roles also involve monitoring, assessing vulnerabilities, reporting, setting standards, advising management, and responding to incidents. Those responsibilities require people to interpret risk, make decisions, and communicate what action is needed.
The most defensible conclusion is that entry-level work may change, with some tasks handled differently and new junior responsibilities possible. The survey does not establish which effect will dominate, or how hiring will change in practice.
Does AI make cybersecurity a stronger career choice?
For the United States, the broader occupational outlook remains positive, though it is not an AI-specific forecast. The BLS’s 2026 Occupational Outlook Handbook projects information security analyst employment to grow 21% from 2025 to 2035, with about 14,100 openings per year on average. BLS says increased AI use and e-commerce contribute to demand for enhanced security. This projection covers the occupation overall; it does not isolate jobs created by AI.
For someone considering the field, that outlook is encouraging but not a guarantee of an individual job. A sensible approach is to prepare for work that combines technical capability with analysis, sound judgment, and clear communication, rather than betting on a single tool or task remaining unchanged.
Which skills are worth building?
Technical foundations
- AI security: Learn how AI tools introduce security considerations and why organizations need processes to assess tools before deployment.
- Cloud security: Build skills in an area professionals in ISC2’s 2025 workforce study identified as in demand.
- Core security work: Develop the ability to monitor systems, assess vulnerabilities, document findings, and contribute to incident response.
Human and organizational capabilities
- Problem solving: Hiring managers in ISC2’s 2025 study ranked it their most sought-after skill.
- Collaboration and communication: Security work requires coordination across teams and the ability to explain risk and recommended action.
- Learning and strategic thinking: New tools and threats change the work; employers also value willingness to learn and the ability to connect security decisions to broader priorities.
These capabilities complement one another. Technical knowledge helps identify a security issue; analysis and communication help a team decide what it means and what to do about it.
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BLS describes more than one route into information security analysis. Relevant education and related work experience can provide a foundation, while industry training and certifications offer another way to build or demonstrate skills. Employers may prefer certification. The practical choice depends on a person’s starting point: develop fundamentals, seek opportunities to apply them, and use AI and cloud security as areas for continued learning rather than substitutes for core security knowledge.
Early-career candidates should also expect role design to vary. ISC2’s survey records both concern about reduced entry-level staffing and the possibility of new junior roles; it cannot say which employers will follow which path. Building a portfolio of demonstrable problem solving, communication, and technical practice can help show readiness for work that evolves.
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