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Generative AI is creating a digital diaspora of techniques, technologies and tradecraft that everyone, from rogue attackers to nation-state cyber armies trained in the art of cyberwar, is adopting. Insider threats are growing, too, accelerated by job insecurity and growing inflation. All these challenges and more fall on the shoulders of the CISO, and it’s no wonder more are dealing with burnout.
In Part 1:We explored how gen AI is reshaping the threat landscape, accelerating insider threats and putting unprecedented pressure on cybersecurity teams. Insider-driven risks, shadow AI usage and outdated detection models are forcing CISOs to rethink their defenses.
Now, in Part 2, we turn to the solutions — how gen AI can help combat burnout across security operations centers (SOCs), enable smarter automation and guide CISOs through a 90-day roadmap to secure their enterprises against evolving threats.
Battling burnout with gen AI deserves to be a 2025 CISO priority
Nearly one in four CISOs consider quitting, with 93% citing extreme stress, further proving that burnout is creating increasingly severe operational and human risks. Gartner’s most recent research links burnout to decreased team efficiency and overlooked security tasks that often become vulnerabilities. Unsurprisingly, 90% of CISOs identify burnout as one of the main barriers that stand in the way of their teams getting more accomplished and using the full extent of their skills.
How bad is burnout across cybersecurity and SOC teams? The majority of CISOs, 65%, say that burnout is a severe impediment to maintaining effective security operations.
Forrester adds that 36% of the cybersecurity workforce are categorized as “Tired Rockstars,” or individuals who remain highly engaged but are on the brink of burnout. This emphasizes the critical need to address mental health and workload management proactively.
SOC analysts endure heavy workloads that often turn severe when they have to monitor, analyze and aggregate insights from an average of over 10,000+ alerts a day. Chronic stress and not having enough control over their jobs lead to high turnover, with 65% considering leaving their careers.
Ivanti’s 2024 Digital Employee Experience (DEX) Report underscores a vital cybersecurity link, noting that 93% of professionals agree improved DEX strengthens security, yet just 13% prioritize it. Ivanti SVP Daren Goeson told VentureBeat in a recent interview that “organizations often lack effective tools to measure digital employee experience, significantly slowing security and productivity initiatives.”
SOC teams are particularly hard hit by burnout. While AI can’t solve the entire challenge, it can help automate SOC workflows and accelerate triage. Forrester is urging CISOs to think beyond automating existing processes and move forward with rationalizing security controls, deploying gen AI within existing platforms. Jeff Pollard, VP at Forrester, …