Summary
As concerns about job security rise, many employees are feeling the pressure of being replaced by AI-driven systems. This growing anxiety highlights a need for emerging industries such as cyber security with similar reputational challenges to shift their approach. To prevent alienating their workforce, companies must focus on supporting employees rather than replacing or punishing them.
Artificial intelligence promised to simplify lives, but it’s also fuelling workplace anxieties, particularly the growing “FOBO” phenomenon—fear of becoming obsolete. According to The Workplace Survey – The Impact of AI, nearly one in five employees (19%) plan to change careers in 2025, driven by concerns over AI replacing their roles. “AI has the potential to revolutionise many industries,” says Craig Bines, CEO of CareerWallet. “But our latest survey indicates that job seekers are worried it may impact their careers. We must ensure AI technology is implemented in ways that build trust and offer clear advantages to employees, not just employers.”
Concerns about job security are reshaping the workforce, as employees increasingly question the long-term viability of their roles in an AI-driven landscape. Industries adapting to this transformation face unique challenges, with cybersecurity mirroring many of AI’s reputational issues. Years of relying on punitive measures—such as deceptive phishing simulations, exhausting training sessions, and a focus on error penalties—have earned cybersecurity a reputation for lacking empathy and support. Meanwhile, AI is steadily overcoming similar concerns by integrating as a helpful tool, focusing on collaboration rather than replacement. From streamlining tasks like scheduling across time zones to refining written communication, AI has shown how thoughtful implementation can empower employees. Cybersecurity must adopt a similar approach to shift its narrative and abandoned the outdated idea of employees as the “weakest link”. By positioning itself as a supportive ally, cyber security can help employees avoid mistakes; ultimately empowering employees to see interventions as a safeguard that strengthens their resilience rather than a threat to their stability.