FOCUSING on the People in Cybersecurity at RSAC 2026 Conference argues that AI dominates the event, but that it’s still humans who matter most in the field. The piece highlights that cybersecurity professionals remain in high demand as organisations grapple with growing complexity, workloads and budget pressures, with job stress reported by 62% as higher than in past years.
It relays results from a study presented with ISSA, revealing that 28% are very satisfied in their current roles, 68% say cybersecurity is more difficult than two years ago, and the new top skills gap is in AI security strategy, alongside a notable appetite for AI-enabled approaches. The author notes that opinions on AI are split: 81% believe AI will increase challenges for cybersecurity, while 80% think teams will need to leverage AI to stay ahead, and 72% see agentic AI as a game changer for efficiency.
Sessions discussed how AI adoption may shift junior SOC roles but also create new specialised positions, emphasising the need for human oversight: 57% require human approval for critical actions, and 14% for every action. Across RSAC, it’s clear that security teams must evolve their skills and collaborate with leadership to secure responsible AI adoption.