Cybersecurity on the rise: AI creates an explosive demand for specialists

The situation of the labor market in IT is rapidly changing under the pressure of artificial intelligence. As reported by The New York Times, leading headhunters note a paradoxical effect: while some professions are losing stability, the demand for narrow specialists in the field of security and infrastructure is growing at a record pace.

Austin Cowan, a recruiter with Heidrick & Struggles who works with Fortune 100 companies, was expecting a quiet year. However, instead, he faced a sharp surge in requests for specialists capable of protecting corporate systems from new AI-related threats.

According to him, positions that used to be opened annually now appear every week. The reason is growing uncertainty and an “arms race” between AI developers and those trying to secure digital infrastructure.

Cyber security is becoming the main beneficiary of the AI revolution

Despite fears that AI will displace some IT professionals, the opposite process is observed in the field of cyber security. Companies are massively expanding their data protection, code auditing and breach response teams.

According to Glassdoor, the number of cybersecurity jobs increased by 11% year-over-year in the first quarter. At the same time, recruiting agencies emphasize the shortage of qualified candidates, which is why some orders simply cannot be closed.

Experts explain this growth by two factors. First, the widespread use of AI in development leads to an increase in the number of errors and vulnerabilities in the code. Second, AI developers themselves warn that new models can be used to automatically find and exploit weak points in systems.

A new generation of threats — and a new demand for specialists

Some AI labs are already demonstrating tools capable of detecting vulnerabilities in the infrastructure of energy networks, banks and large corporations. This is causing concern in the market and driving additional demand for IT security professionals

According to Lee Kisner, director of information security at LinkedIn, the industry does not yet have a sustainable protection model in the face of the development of AI. She notes that companies are looking not only for technical experts, but also for people who can work in conditions of high uncertainty and complex system architecture.

In fact, it is about the formation of a new type of profession — engineers who both understand AI tools and are able to resist their abuse.

Salaries are rising, competition is intensifying

The market responds to the shortage of specialists with a sharp increase in compensation. According to recruiters, the salary level in the top segment of cyber security reaches several million dollars a year, and requests from employers continue to grow.

At the same time, the pressure on mid-level specialists is also increasing. Engineers who actively use AI in their work receive a significant advantage in hiring.

Some large companies, including Meta, Amazon, Stripe and Snap, continue to cut staff while reallocating resources towards AI development.

The new reality of the IT market

Despite individual areas of growth, the general trend remains contradictory: automation reduces some of the traditional roles, but at the same time creates new narrow specializations.

Headhunters agree that the market will not return to its former structure. Those who adapt to working with AI tools gain an advantage, and key positions are increasingly centered around the security and management of complex digital systems.

As market participants point out, waiting for the “return of the old IT” no longer makes sense — the industry has already entered a new phase, where humans and AI work in close connection, but not always on equal terms.