Is AI Making Us Worse at Cybersecurity?

A cybersecurity expert has raised concerns that artificial intelligence is actually harming the security industry by diminishing essential human skills. Joshua Goldfarb, Field CISO at F5, shared his observations after noticing how a colleague approached him for content in a manner that mirrored how people interact with AI systems.

Goldfarb was asked to speak at an event but couldn't attend, so someone else stepped in. When this person reached out to him for content, they essentially sent a prompt rather than seeking guidance or experience-based advice. This interaction sparked Goldfarb to question whether AI might be negatively impacting the cybersecurity profession.

Creativity and Innovation

While AI can rapidly process vast amounts of data, it cannot replace human creativity in security. Goldfarb emphasizes that security professionals rely on creative approaches to discover new threats, solve problems, and notice irregularities. When AI handles certain security tasks, the profession loses out on these creative benefits that are crucial for effective cybersecurity.

Human Connection

The security expert points out that AI lacks genuine emotion and humor, which are valuable soft skills in the profession. Humor helps diffuse tension and make difficult messages more palatable, while sincerity motivates people to collaborate effectively. Security teams that over-rely on AI lose these important human elements that strengthen professional relationships and communication.

Communication Quality

Goldfarb has observed a decline in precise and clear communication in recent years, which he attributes partly to AI usage. Many companies at security conferences now deliver similar, unremarkable messaging because marketing teams are using AI to generate content. This trend is particularly damaging in cybersecurity, where timely and accurate communication is essential.

Furthermore, the security profession is seeing a reduction in critical thinking skills as professionals increasingly turn to AI for analysis and suggestions. This is problematic because cybersecurity often requires solving unprecedented problems that demand human ingenuity rather than pre-programmed responses.

Balanced Approach

Despite these concerns, Goldfarb believes all hope is not lost. He suggests establishing firm boundaries for AI usage, refusing to let AI handle tasks like suggesting topics, conducting research, or creating content. By maintaining these personal standards, security professionals can preserve the quality and authenticity of their work while still benefiting from AI's capabilities in appropriate applications.