A new survey from Bugcrowd, a leader in crowdsourced cybersecurity, finds that while generative AI tools like ChatGPT hold promise for augmenting human capabilities, they are unlikely to fully replace human skills in cybersecurity roles in the near future.
The survey of 500 cybersecurity professionals worldwide found that only 13% believe generative AI could fully replace human capabilities in cybersecurity within the next 5 years. However, 76% said generative AI could be useful in augmenting human skills over the same timeframe.
“While generative AI tools represent an exciting new frontier, human intellect, creativity and judgment remains essential for cybersecurity roles,” said Ashish Gupta, CEO of Bugcrowd. “This survey confirms our belief that the future of cybersecurity will be driven by humans empowered by technology, not the other way around.”
Additional findings from the survey include:
- The top perceived benefits of generative AI in cybersecurity are increased efficiency (65%), automating repetitive tasks (57%), and faster response times (54%).
- The top limitations were lack of reasoning ability (66%), difficulty interpreting results (58%), and lack of flexibility (56%).
- When asked about the impact of generative AI on cybersecurity roles, 28% said it would make jobs easier, while only 7% felt it could make human jobs obsolete.
Bugcrowd advises organizations to view generative AI as a tool to empower human capabilities, not replace them entirely. Key roles like strategic planning, critical thinking, ethics and empathy will remain human skills for the foreseeable future.
“While AI holds promise, it does not fully replace human ingenuity, intuition and reasoning,” said Gupta. “The future of cybersecurity will combine the best of human creativity and technology to drive innovation and resilience.”
‘Inside the Mind of a Hacker’ – Access the Full Report
The survey included 1,000 respondents from 85 countries, including the United States, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Ethiopia, India, France, Jordan, Singapore, and the United Kingdom.
Readers of this report will better understand how ethical hackers reduce risks for organizations, provide one of the most significant security returns on investment, and accelerate digital transformations. To download a copy of the Inside the Mind of a Hacker—2023 report, click here.
The B2B Marketer, the online destination for B2B marketing professionals seeking valuable insights, trends, and resources to drive their marketing strategies and achieve business success.
