Will AI replace cybersecurity analysts?

Much of the work, but not all of it. AI could take on about 63% of the working time in a typical cybersecurity analyst job today. The other 37% still needs a person.

Cybersecurity analyst at work

37% of the work still needs a person.

Needs a person: 37%A person checking AI: 28%AI alone: 35%

The bracket under the bar is the evidence range for the share AI could take on: 43 to 63%. One end comes from how well AI did each responsibility in real use, or a second rating where that isn't measured. The other is our figure, which also follows research across the industry.

11 responsibilities in a typical cybersecurity analyst job. Median pay $129,180 a year in the U.S. (BLS, May 2025).

Still needs a person

  • Talk with users about access and security AI helps
  • Review and discuss security rule breaks AI helps
  • Test systems and assess security risks AI helps
  • Coordinate rollout of new computer systems AI helps
  • Train staff on security awareness AI helps
  • Write data protection and backup plans AI helps

AI can do or help with

  • Watch and control access to files AI helps
  • Test systems and assess security risks AI helps
  • Talk with users about access and security AI helps
  • Write data protection and backup plans AI helps
  • Write security policies and procedures AI helps
  • Review and discuss security rule breaks AI helps

The biggest responsibilities on each side, ranked by a person's time on the left. "AI helps" means AI takes on part of the work, or most of it with a person checking what it produces, so one can show on both sides. See all 11, with the reason for each and the cost of handing them to AI.

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Questions people ask

Will AI replace cybersecurity analysts?

Much of the work, but not all of it. AI could take on about 63% of the working time in a typical cybersecurity analyst job today. The other 37% still needs a person. That is a split of the work, not a forecast of jobs lost.

Which parts of the job can AI do?

The biggest ones AI can do or help with: watch and control access to files, test systems and assess security risks, talk with users about access and security, write data protection and backup plans, write security policies and procedures, review and discuss security rule breaks.

Which parts still need a person?

The biggest ones: talk with users about access and security, review and discuss security rule breaks, test systems and assess security risks, coordinate rollout of new computer systems, train staff on security awareness, write data protection and backup plans.

How is this measured?

The U.S. Department of Labor lists 11 responsibilities for this job (O*NET 31.0). Each is scored on 4 questions: can AI do it, does it get it right, must a person sign for it, and do people need to deal with a real person. The split is weighted by how much of the job each responsibility takes up. The evidence range for the share AI could take on is 43 to 63%. One end comes from how well AI did each responsibility in real use, or a second rating where that isn't measured. The other is our figure, which also follows research across the industry. Scores version 0.8.5, updated November 10, 2026.

Responsibilities from O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor). Pay from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025. Scores are calibrated to published research and updated every month. How it works.

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