February 11 is the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, and this year’s theme is “Synergising AI, Social Science, STEM and Finance: Building Inclusive Futures for Women and Girls”.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres explains the importance of the day, and what it stands for, succinctly.
“We must ensure that every girl can imagine a future in STEM, and that every woman can thrive in her scientific career.”
This is a noble goal, but also one that comes with a host of challenges, not the least of which is artificial intelligence itself.
Experience matters
According to Melissa Bischoping, Senior Director of Security & Product Design Research at Tanium, while it’s important to look ahead and take advantage of every AI has to offer in the industry, we also need to consider its early career impact.
“Emerging technologies, including AI, are reshaping early-career work in cyber security. AI can help reduce burnout by supporting alert triage and prioritisation across overstretched teams,” Bischoping told Cyber Daily.
“But efficiency alone can't be the goal. Early-career roles are where analysts develop judgement, intuition, and confidence through hands-on investigation and learning over time.”
In other words, speed and automation matter, and in fact are vitally important given the ever-expanding nature of the modern threat environment, but not at the expense of depriving individuals – particularly women – of vital experience that will allow them to progress in their careers.
The family trap
But it’s not just the challenge of AI that needs to be addressed; it’s how the industry handles women seeking to build a family that is another challenge.
“Equity means acknowledging the unequal expectations placed on women as parents and primary caregivers – women in cyber security are disproportionately affected by caregiving responsibilities,” Bischoping said.
Cyber security tends to be an “always-on” career, one that rewards constant availability. However, this clashes with the simple fact that women perform twice as much unpaid care as men.
“Many women who leave tech and cyber cite caregiving as a decisive factor, contributing to the sharp drop-off in representation at senior levels,” Bischoping said.
“Even as flexible work becomes more common, nearly half of women in tech believe starting a family will limit their career progression. That tells us culture, not policy, remains the real barrier.”
The numbers don’t lie
Women make up 40 per cent of the workforce globally, but only 30 per cent of senior leaders are women, and in STEM fields – such as cyber security and other technology roles – that figure drops to a mere 14 per cent.
“There's no silver bullet for security. Our advantage will come from organisations that invest in people alongside technology, using tools like AI to support learning rather than replace it,” Bischoping said.
“That's how we ensure women and girls who enter science, technology, and cybersecurity are supported to stay, grow, and lead.”
David Hollingworth
David Hollingworth has been writing about technology for over 20 years, and has worked for a range of print and online titles in his career. He is enjoying getting to grips with cyber security, especially when it lets him talk about Lego.