AI isn’t replacing SOC teams. It’s elevating them.

AI's integration into Security Operations Centers (SOCs) is reshaping both the nature of security work and the careers of professionals in the field. A survey of over 1,800 global security professionals reveals that while AI is widely adopted, with 99% of SOCs using it, manual and repetitive tasks still dominate workloads, contributing to widespread burnout. Despite this, there is optimism among security teams, with 86% believing AI will create new opportunities and alleviate pressure by shifting focus to more strategic tasks, such as threat intelligence and compliance. AI is seen as a tool to enhance rather than replace human roles, promoting a blended approach that combines AI, automation, and human judgment to tackle high-impact work. This evolution is driving a change in priorities, with skills like AI literacy and cloud security becoming crucial. The presence of formalized AI policies and human guardrails is essential to ensure the effectiveness and reliability of AI outputs. Overall, AI is anticipated to improve work-life balance, reduce burnout, and enable security teams to operate more strategically and efficiently, positioning them as strategic enablers within organizations.