Business judgement, AI proficiency key as cyber defender roles evolve; new professional standards being developed

Cybersecurity professionals must adapt to the evolving landscape shaped by artificial intelligence (AI) and organizational risks, according to a new study commissioned by Singapore's Cyber Security Agency (CSA). The survey of 1,000 organizations reveals that AI proficiency is the third most highly-rated skill among cybersecurity experts, alongside technical knowledge and understanding of business trade-offs.

AI reduces the operational burden of cybersecurity work by automating tasks, but humans are still necessary to verify the credibility of alerts and threats. Professionals must develop new skills to detect and respond to AI-enabled cyber threats such as phishing, deepfakes, and malware development. These threats will require cybersecurity experts to acquire expertise in recognizing AI mistakes, fixing them safely, and addressing AI-specific risks.

The Building Singapore’s Cybersecurity Workforce for the Age of AI report, released at Singapore International Cyber Week, projects that AI will soon pose a threat to cybersecurity within the next 12 months. To address this, CSA will develop a Cybersecurity Professional Accreditation Framework, which will set common professional standards across roles and proficiency levels.

The framework aims to formalize and recognize competencies in the AI age, providing employers with greater confidence, professionals with recognition, and the profession with a stronger common standard.

The survey, conducted by Blackbox Research from August to September 2026, found that demand for mid-level and senior cybersecurity professionals will grow over the next three years, while junior roles will be redesigned to include more complex work supported by AI. Roles affected by AI include analysts in security operations, vulnerability assessment, and penetration testing.

Human analysts will need to shift their focus to investigating findings, judging severity, and orchestrating responses. Additionally, testing AI systems for attempts to manipulate human instructions to bypass safeguards will become essential at the vulnerability assessment and penetration testing level.

At the leadership level, chief information security officers must understand AI-specific risks and lead teams that combine human expertise with AI. The accreditation framework aims to provide employers with a clearer way to assess the growing pool of cybersecurity professionals' capabilities. Three bodies will oversee accreditation by the end of 2026, including a Cyber Security Professional Office, a panel of senior representatives from government, industry, and academia, and committees of technical experts.