US cybersecurity leaders are facing mounting pressure to address process gaps and respond to growing threats. Many of these professionals are reportedly working the equivalent of six or seven days a week, according to a survey conducted by Seemplicity.
The security vendor surveyed 300 Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) and similar roles to compile its State of the Cybersecurity Workforce Report.
The findings indicate that 45% of participants work over 11 additional hours each week, which is akin to an extra day of work. Furthermore, 20% of respondents are logging more than 16 extra hours weekly.
This demanding workload has led to 44% of respondents feeling that their roles are emotionally exhausting more often than rewarding. The sentiment is even higher among C-level executives, with 56% expressing similar feelings.
Additionally, nearly two-fifths (43%) reported that taking time off results in significant stress upon their return to work.
Despite these challenges, an overwhelming 94% of respondents stated they would still choose a career in cybersecurity if given the chance.
AI Is Changing the Nature of Work
Interestingly, the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) in enterprises seems to be increasing the workload for CISOs, as it shifts their roles toward a more business-centric focus.
About 85% of those surveyed feel heightened pressure to enhance their communication, interpersonal, and business skills due to the adoption of AI technologies. In addition, 82% of respondents believe that people skills have become more crucial to their success compared to five years ago.
The report notes, “The findings suggest that the maturity of AI tools is moving the human center of gravity from execution to interpretation. As automated systems produce more outputs and handle lower-level tasks, cybersecurity leaders are increasingly responsible for resolving ambiguities, justifying trade-offs, and translating technical risks into terms relevant to the business.”
It further emphasizes that in this evolving landscape, skills that were once considered secondary have turned into essential operational requirements. The data illustrates that as the speed and scale of automated decision-making grow, so does the need for human oversight and the ability to influence across the organization.
Seemplicity cautions that organizations and security leaders who fail to adapt to these changes risk creating a governance gap. This gap occurs when automated tools operate without the necessary human-centric guardrails to ensure alignment with business objectives.
Yoran Sirkis, CEO of Seemplicity, expressed that the cybersecurity workforce is reaching a pivotal moment. He remarked, “For years, the industry tried to solve every problem by adding more tools, more alerts, and more people.”
“AI is changing that model. It’s forcing a shift toward smarter prioritization, clearer ownership, and leaders who can translate technical risk into business decisions. The organizations that thrive will be the ones that redesign the role around outcomes, not just activity,” he added.
