Don’t be Nervous Your New Co-Worker Could be a Robot

In the past, I’ve written with a mixture of excitement and hesitation on the topic of Artificial Intelligence (AI).AI is defined as: the theory and development of computer systems able to perform tasks that normally require human intelligence, such as visual perception, speech recognition, decision-making, and translation between languages.My post ‘A Buzzword to Rattle your Brain’ explored with wonderment the concept of deep learning. Then my later post, ‘My Love/Hate Relationship with Amazon’ looked with trepidation at some of the newer products and technologies being rolled out by Amazon.Many of the questions I raised surrounded privacy, a growing concern of many Cybrarians, as well as myself. But recently, the team was asked ‘What effect will artificial intelligence have on cyber security jobs?’It’s a question worth some consideration as we examine the staggering statistics of the cyber security skills gap.According to TheHill.com, “research has shown that the average company deals with 200,000 security events per day.”Now, consider that number on top of the fact that many security teams are understaffed and overworked as is. One can only assume this number will continue to grow if some aid is not put in place. That’s where artificial intelligence is meant to come into play."In the near term there are still plenty of positions and not enough professionals," said Bryan Ware, CEO at Haystax Technology. "But over time, AI will allow analysts to be more productive, automating low-level tasks and intelligently alerting the analyst."Artificial intelligence will help security teams by performing repetitive tasks and those that require large amounts of data processing. Because constant alerts tend to create ‘security fatigue,’ AI should help to calm the noise and help professionals on more legitimate threats rather than wasting time on false positives.Luis Corrons, technical director at PandaLabs believes AI has actually created new jobs.There is plenty of opportunity for those improving internal systems and creating new ones, as well as the mathematicians applying AI to systems.With artificial intelligence speeding the identification and prediction of security breaches, “This will bolster career prospects for security professionals that are adept at divergent thinking, and limit career prospects for more traditional SOC analysts that respond to alerts without considering the larger picture,” says David Campbell, CSO at SendGrid.Movement in this direction indicates a trend toward a more investigative fashion of cyber security and will call on professionals able to leverage their critical thinking skills.Karin Klein, founding partner of Bloomberg Beta perhaps sums things up best. “It’s more about augmentation rather than automation.”For organizations to be successful implementing artificial intelligence alongside their human employees, they’ll need to strike a balance between the two, not heavily relying on one over the other.AI can provide insight and breakthroughs, while individuals account for recognition and judgment. The point where these 4 elements intersect is machine/ human harmony in the workplace.While all signs of the AI vs traditional workforce that I’ve seen point to a mostly positive outcome for the cyber security industry, it’s important to remember that nothing happens overnight.Artificial intelligence isn’t free, and for many smaller and mid-size companies, the adjustment will more than likely take awhile to go into effect. Likewise, many techniques require specific training, data markup, and will still need manual testing.Even when the money, and skills are in place, it will take development of the right policy and incredible oversight to find the right balance and integration as mentioned above.These are only a few concepts for businesses to consider, not to mention the ethical and legal issues at hand, such as who bears responsibility for the actions of an intelligent machine.I think it’s safe to breathe a sigh of relief for the time being and focus your energy on improving your skills based on your company’s current needs and technologies. For help with that, visit the growing Micro Certification catalog.Until then, get in on the debate of imposing a robot tax, and see what Bill Gates has to say.Olivia Lynch (@Cybrary_Olivia) is the Marketing Manager at Cybrary. Like many of you, she is just getting her toes wet in the field of cyber security. A firm believer that the pen is mightier than the sword, Olivia considers corny puns and an honest voice essential to any worthwhile blog.