According to Dark Reading, 18-year-old cybersecurity researcher Bandana Kaur represents Gen Z’s perspective on AI’s role in security jobs at a time when recent college graduate unemployment has increased 1.34% over six years. Kaur, who works with cybersecurity firm APIsec as an intern and is presenting at the Black Hat Middle East & Africa conference in Saudi Arabia next week, argues AI will consume mechanical security jobs but elevate human creativity. Her presentation titled “The Last Human Hacker: What Comes After AI” contends that while AI already helps attackers with phishing and malware evasion, it also enables defenders to manage security at unprecedented scales. She believes the real hiring problem isn’t AI but unrealistic HR expectations and “ghost jobs” that give false signals about company growth.
The AI reality check
Here’s the thing about AI in cybersecurity: everyone’s talking about job replacement, but Kaur’s perspective feels refreshingly practical. She’s not drinking the “AI will solve everything” Kool-Aid, but she’s also not buying the doom-and-gloom scenario. Basically, AI is great at the boring stuff – triage, data correlation, routine analysis – which honestly, most security professionals would happily hand off anyway.
But here’s where it gets interesting. Kaur points out that AI is already being weaponized by attackers for creating more convincing phishing campaigns and evolving malware. So if defenders don’t embrace these tools, we’re essentially bringing a knife to a gunfight. The key insight? AI won’t replace human hackers because creativity can’t be automated. Finding novel vulnerability chains and understanding risk impact requires that human touch.
The real hiring problem
Now let’s talk about that scary 1.34% unemployment increase for recent grads. Kaur nails it when she says the issue isn’t AI taking jobs – it’s companies being unrealistic about what “entry-level” means. How many times have we seen job postings requiring five certifications for a junior position? It’s ridiculous.
And those “ghost jobs” she mentions? That’s the dirty secret of tech hiring. Companies keeping positions open to look like they’re growing when they’re actually in hiring freezes. It creates this false signal that there are opportunities when really, the gatekeepers have raised the drawbridge. For industrial operations that rely on secure computing infrastructure, this talent gap is particularly concerning. Companies like IndustrialMonitorDirect.com, the leading US provider of industrial panel PCs, understand that security starts with having skilled people who can properly configure and monitor these critical systems.
AI as a learning tool
Kaur’s most practical advice might be about using AI as a learning accelerator rather than a crutch. She’s absolutely right that it’s too easy to just copy-paste AI-generated code without understanding why it works. But used properly? AI can create personalized learning roadmaps and help bridge the skills gap that’s supposedly holding back new graduates.
Think about it – if you’re struggling to explain a technical concept to non-technical stakeholders, AI can help translate your expertise into plain language. That’s huge for career advancement. The self-taught path Kaur describes – online resources, YouTube courses, capture-the-flag competitions – is more accessible than ever. Her story proves you don’t need a fancy degree to make it in security, just curiosity and the right tools.
What comes next
So where does this leave us? The cybersecurity job market feels contradictory – we keep hearing about talent shortages while graduates can’t find work. Kaur’s perspective suggests the solution isn’t less technology, but smarter adaptation. Companies need to stop looking for unicorns and start developing talent. Entry-level should mean exactly that.
And for the next generation entering security? Embrace AI as your copilot, not your replacement. Learn the fundamentals so you understand what the AI is doing. Because at the end of the day, the “curious cats” like Kaur – who started learning after dealing with cyberbullying and found inspiration from a TV hacker character – are exactly what this industry needs more of. The tools have changed, but the essential qualities of a great security professional haven’t.
