The advancement of generative artificial intelligence has led to a sharp increase in demand for cybersecurity specialists amidst widespread layoffs in the tech sector, reports The New York Times.
According to the publication, corporations are actively hiring data protection engineers as the use of AI for coding has increased vulnerabilities. The situation was exacerbated by the release of the Mythos neural network from Anthropic, which demonstrated high capabilities in finding and exploiting bugs in critical infrastructure.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts that employment for information security specialists will grow by 29% over the next decade, with the agency expecting about 16,000 new job openings annually.
Nikesh Arora, CEO of Palo Alto Networks, confirmed the trend, noting that AI does not replace engineers but increases the need for them. According to him, the company’s workforce grew by nearly 1,000 people in the first half of the 2026 fiscal year.
Employers have become more selective, now requiring candidates to have competencies at the intersection of AI and cybersecurity. Meanwhile, salaries for top executives in this field have reached a record $7 million to $8 million per year.
The Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2026 report identified the talent shortage as the main barrier to digital resilience. About 94% of respondents consider artificial intelligence a key factor in transforming the industry in the coming year.
Despite the automation of routine tasks, experts are confident that the value of specialists capable of auditing and protecting AI systems will only increase. However, entry-level positions in development continue to decline under the pressure of neural networks.
Back in February, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman stated that some companies use artificial intelligence as a pretext for layoffs.