Will AI replace security engineers?
Updated
Information security engineers score 60 of 100 for AI exposure. The largest share of their task time, 95%, is work AI speeds up while they stay in charge. AI can take over the other 5% outright.
- 5% AI can do it
- 95% AI helps
High exposure
Higher than 91% of the 923 occupations we scored.
Task by task
We graded 20 tasks, listed here from most to least exposed. AI can do 1 of them today, speeds up 19 and leaves 0 to people.
| Task | AI exposure |
|---|---|
| Write reports regarding investigations of information security breaches or network evaluations. AI drafts investigation and evaluation reports from notes; reviewers approve. | 70% AI can do it |
| Review security assessments for computing environments or check for compliance with cybersecurity standards and regulations. AI checks evidence against compliance frameworks; auditors sign off. | 62% AI helps |
| Coordinate documentation of computer security or emergency measure policies, procedures, or tests. AI drafts policy and test documentation; coordination stays human. | 60% AI helps |
| Develop or implement software tools to assist in the detection, prevention, and analysis of security threats. AI coding tools speed detection software; engineers design and validate. | 60% AI helps |
| Scan networks, using vulnerability assessment tools to identify vulnerabilities. Scanners already automate this; AI helps prioritize and interpret findings. | 55% AI helps |
| Provide technical support to computer users for installation and use of security products. AI answers routine setup questions; complex or live help stays human. | 55% AI helps |
| Develop or install software, such as firewalls and data encryption programs, to protect sensitive information. AI coding assistants speed firewall and encryption tooling; engineers verify. | 50% AI helps |
| Develop information security standards and best practices. AI drafts standards and practices; leadership approves and is responsible for them. | 50% AI helps |
| Identify security system weaknesses, using penetration tests. Live attack work leads; AI speeds recon and script writing. | 45% AI helps |
| Assess the quality of security controls, using performance indicators. AI can compute metrics; judging control quality stays human. | 45% AI helps |
Show the other 10 tasks
| Task | AI exposure |
|---|---|
| Develop response and recovery strategies for security breaches. AI drafts response playbooks; executive and risk decisions stay human. | 45% AI helps |
| Identify or implement solutions to information security problems. AI proposes fixes and code changes; engineers test and deploy. | 45% AI helps |
| Coordinate monitoring of networks or systems for security breaches or intrusions. Staffing and escalation stay human; AI triages alerts. | 40% AI helps |
| Conduct investigations of information security breaches to identify vulnerabilities and evaluate the damage. AI helps parse logs and timelines; conclusions need expert judgment. | 40% AI helps |
| Recommend information security enhancements to management. AI can draft recommendation memos; management weighs tradeoffs. | 40% AI helps |
| Coordinate vulnerability assessments or analysis of information security systems. AI assists scan analysis and reporting; coordinating teams stays human. | 40% AI helps |
| Train staff on, and oversee the use of, information security standards, policies, and best practices. AI drafts training material; delivering and overseeing staff stays human. | 35% AI helps |
| Oversee development of plans to safeguard computer files against accidental or unauthorized modification, destruction, or disclosure or to meet emergency data processing needs. AI drafts backup and recovery plans; owners approve and oversee. | 35% AI helps |
| Oversee performance of risk assessment or execution of system tests to ensure the functioning of data processing activities or security measures. AI summarizes test results; risk acceptance stays with humans. | 35% AI helps |
| Troubleshoot security and network problems. Live troubleshooting needs context; AI reads logs and suggests fixes. | 30% AI helps |
How information security engineers compare
All occupations (923)
Computer and mathematical (36)
Pay and outlook in the US
- Median pay
- $116,580 a year, May 2025
- People employed
- 48,374 in the US, May 2025
- Projected change in jobs
- +5.1% from 2024 to 2034
Skills to build
- Run live breach triage and escalation in Splunk Enterprise
- Write and validate detection scripts in Python and Bash
- Harden identity and access controls in Microsoft Active Directory
- Review cloud security configurations in AWS and Microsoft Azure
- Hold final sign-off on risk acceptance decisions
- Run forensic log analysis on Linux hosts
Safer roles nearby
5 related occupations with lower scores.
Questions about information security engineers and AI
Will security engineers be replaced by AI?
Partly. About 5 in 10 working hours go to tasks AI can already do, mostly writing investigation reports and checking assessments against compliance standards. Engineers still decide breach conclusions, approve risk, and answer for the outcome.
Which information security tasks is AI taking over?
Report writing goes first, with an exposure score of 70, followed by compliance checks at 62. AI drafts investigation and evaluation reports from engineers' notes, and reviewers approve them. It also checks assessment evidence against frameworks, and auditors sign off.
Which information security tasks stay with humans?
Live troubleshooting, risk acceptance, and breach conclusions stay with people. Troubleshooting scores 30 on exposure because live work needs context beyond logs, so AI only reads logs and suggests fixes. Risk acceptance and breach conclusions need expert judgment and sign-off from the accountable executive.
How can information security engineers stay valuable?
Take responsibility for live incident response in Splunk Enterprise, where AI only triages alerts. Write detection code in Python and Bash, then test it yourself before it runs. Keep final sign-off on risk acceptance and backup recovery plans. Each step keeps your name on a decision the owner must sign.
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Next steps for information security engineers
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