The cybersecurity industry is grappling with a talent shortage, with a reported 3.5 million global vacancies, prompting chief information security officers (CISOs) to consider automation and artificial intelligence (AI) as potential solutions. At the Billington Cybersecurity Summit, experts from both government and private sectors, including representatives from the U.S. Department of Energy, Department of Defense, Darktrace Federal, and Forgepoint Capital, discussed strategies to balance technology integration with workforce retention. They emphasized the importance of aligning AI and automation tools with mission requirements and the needs of the workforce, rather than viewing these technologies as replacements. The panelists also highlighted the necessity of training and assigning roles based on individuals' proficiency levels to address complex cyber threats effectively. Furthermore, they underscored the potential benefits of AI and automation in improving security operations, citing research from IBM that shows significant reductions in breach detection times and costs. Ultimately, the summit conveyed that fostering collaboration between human expertise and technological advancements is key to enhancing cybersecurity defenses.