Chief executive Scott Beale outlined the timetable during the organisation’s Security Congress in Denver on 26 October, saying the coalition would bring employers, technology companies and workforce specialists together to establish clearer descriptions of emerging security roles. Some companies could begin testing the guidance during a pilot phase next year.
The initiative, announced on 20 October, is intended to address uncertainty over the skills organisations require to protect AI systems and use AI securely. Beale described ISC2’s role as a “vendor-neutral convener”, bringing together participants whose recruitment requirements and professional expectations do not always align.
Rather than produce another technical security standard, the coalition intends to develop practical resources for hiring managers, employees and training providers. These would explain how existing cybersecurity responsibilities are changing, what new positions require and how applicants can demonstrate relevant capabilities.
Beale said organisations currently use inconsistent descriptions for comparable jobs, complicating recruitment and career planning. Banks and hospitals, for example, may describe similar security requirements differently, even as standards bodies work on guidance for artificial intelligence.
The coalition is expected to involve chief information security officers, human resources specialists, major employers, technology developers, workforce organisations and representatives of standards bodies. Government participants may also contribute. ISC2 has not yet published a complete membership roster or a final specification for the planned toolkit.
The proposed resources would help employers draft job descriptions, identify competencies more consistently and organise teams. The guidance is also intended to make career pathways more understandable for existing professionals whose responsibilities now extend to evaluating automated tools, monitoring their outputs and deciding when human intervention is required. Practitioners could use them to assess gaps in their knowledge, prepare for interviews and decide which training would be appropriate for emerging roles.
Beale said important questions remain unresolved, including how AI will affect demand for cybersecurity professionals, which capabilities employers will prioritise and how experienced specialists should adapt. The coalition will seek input from organisations making recruitment decisions rather than assume that one technology provider can determine workforce requirements.
ISC2 expects the resulting guidance eventually to be accessible beyond its membership. Universities and professional certification organisations could also draw on the material when revising courses and assessment programmes, although no timetable for wider distribution has been confirmed.
The effort coincides with ISC2’s development of a separate AI security qualification. On 26 October, the association released a pilot examination outline for the credential, extending work announced in July to define professional expertise in protecting AI-enabled systems and managing associated risks.
That certification is distinct from the coalition’s proposed employment resources. While the credential is intended to assess an individual’s knowledge and abilities, the coalition will concentrate on the structure of jobs, employer expectations and the skills needed across different organisational settings.
ISC2 has said its certification development work covers established security disciplines applied to AI, including data protection, risk management, governance, oversight and secure design. The coalition’s eventual recommendations could inform how employers recognise those capabilities, but its findings have not yet been determined.
The organisation says its members have asked for more practical support as AI changes both defensive operations and the threats security teams confront. Beale said consultations during his first months leading ISC2 showed demand for a stronger organisational role in AI safety and security.
The coalition also reflects a distinction between the availability of cybersecurity personnel and the suitability of their skills. ISC2’s workforce research has highlighted employers’ difficulties finding particular competencies even when broader hiring conditions are constrained, making clearer occupational requirements a priority for workforce planning.
ISC2 represents more than 270,000 certified members and associates worldwide. It expects practitioner participation to help shape the coalition’s recommendations, alongside employers and institutions responsible for education and recruitment.
The organisation established an Academic Advisory Council earlier in October to strengthen cooperation between educators and industry practitioners. That separate initiative focuses on preparing students for cybersecurity employment, including work involving AI governance and protection.
ISC2 has not announced the identities of companies selected for the proposed toolkit pilots. Their participation and the precise content of the first guidance documents are expected to be settled as the founding group begins its work.
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