How a Cybersecurity Company Used AI to Empower Their Team, Not Replace Them

The meeting room was tense. Leadership sat quietly, papers and screens in front of them, as they weighed a critical decision—whether to introduce an AI-powered chatbot to manage the increasing load of help desk tickets. The efficiency gains were clear, and the potential savings were undeniable. But the unspoken question hung in the air: What would happen to the people who had been the company's backbone since its early days?

This wasn’t just a company but a close-knit, people-first organization. Many help desk staff had been with the company since the first desperate scramble for funding. They were loyal, hard-working, and deeply embedded in the company culture. Would bringing in an AI system diminish their roles or, worse, make them redundant?

Leadership wasn’t prepared to rush into the future without considering the implications.

Step One: The Objective Comparison and the A-ha Moment

The pivotal moment came during a conversation with a colleague in Australia. This colleague casually mentioned something that hit home: SFIA (Skills Framework for the Information Age). In Australia, SFIA wasn’t just a tool—it was a nationwide standard used by companies, universities, and government bodies to manage IT and digital skills. The colleague explained how organizations across Australia used SFIA to create a common language for defining, assessing, and managing skills in the digital space. It was data-driven?and scalable, making sure that decisions weren’t based on guesswork but on actual competencies.

That was it. The leadership team realized they didn’t need to rely on instinct or assumptions. They could adopt SFIA to objectively evaluate both the AI chatbot’s capabilities and the human talent already within the company. This framework would give them the clarity they needed to move forward with confidence.

Intrigued by the possibilities, the company immediately searched for SFIA-aligned solutions on the Microsoft Azure Marketplace. That’s when they found SkillsTX Talent eXperience Skills Intelligence. This platform could help them assess their AI solution and map their team’s existing skills against SFIA’s global framework. It was exactly what they needed.

Another opportunity emerged during a meeting with their Microsoft representative: they weren’t fully utilizing their @Microsoft Azure Consumption Commitment (MACC). With unused funds available, they could procure SkillsTX without spending additional budget. Within minutes, the platform was deployed, allowing them to evaluate their workforce and the AI tool side by side.

Step Two: Synergizing AI and Human Talent Assessment

The leadership team built a?comprehensive skills matrix using SkillsTX and the SFIA framework. Their goal? To compare the AI chatbot’s capabilities directly with the skills of their help desk team in real-time.

As expected, the AI tool showed its strengths immediately. It could handle routine ticket resolutions faster than any human, access vast knowledge bases instantly, and juggle multiple requests without missing a beat. Efficiency? Check. Scalability? No contest.

But the AI fell short when it came to?human interaction—building trust with frustrated customers, handling delicate situations, and navigating complex, nuanced queries. The chatbot was quick but lacked the empathy and contextual understanding that only a human touch could provide.

At the same time, Talent eXperience revealed hidden talents within its help desk team. The skills inventory showed that employees who had been seen solely as ticket resolvers actually had?untapped expertise?in areas like?stakeholder relationship management,?digital forensics, and?emerging technology monitoring. These competencies weren’t part of their daily roles but would be critical to the company’s future success.

With these insights, leadership had a clear view of where to focus upskilling efforts and where the AI tool could complement their team, ensuring a balanced and future-proofed workforce.

Step Three: Restructuring for the Future

Armed with this new information, the leadership’s perspective shifted entirely. Their team wasn’t outdated, and they weren’t in danger of being replaced by AI. The human staff was far more valuable than anyone had realized—but only if their skills were realigned with the company’s evolving needs.

This sparked a bold new idea: transform the team into a Skills-Based Workforce. Instead of assigning tasks based on rigid job titles, the company would now assign them based on each person’s strengths. The AI chatbot would handle repetitive, low-level tasks, allowing the team to focus on high-complexity, high-value issues requiring human insight.

The cultural shift was immediate. Employees once seen only as ticket-resolvers were now problem-solvers and strategic thinkers. Those with hidden strengths in stakeholder management stepped into leadership roles, while others passionate about digital forensics took charge of security investigations. This wasn’t just a functional change—it was the start of a dynamic environment where growth was encouraged, and employees felt empowered to take ownership of their careers.

What began as a concern over AI replacing jobs evolved into a realization: the company had been sitting on a goldmine of talent. AI wasn’t about replacement—it was about unlocking human potential. The transformation reimagined the workforce and positioned the company for long-term success with a renewed sense of purpose and adaptability.

Step Four: Managing Change with Precision

Leadership knew that a shift of this magnitude required expert guidance. They brought in a boutique organizational change management consultancy to ensure the transition wasn’t just smooth?but deeply intentional. Every team member was carefully guided through the new skills-based approach, using?Talent eXperience to assess their strengths and map them to roles where they could thrive. This wasn’t about cutting jobs—it was about redefining them.

The company took the bold step of pausing the AI procurement for 90 days, ensuring no one was left behind. During this time, they worked closely with each employee, identifying roles that better matched their skills or, in some cases, opportunities where they could contribute in new and exciting ways. Every decision was strategic and deliberate, ensuring the changes aligned with the company’s people-first culture. This was a transformation built on empowerment, not displacement.

The Outcome: A Strategic Decision

After the 90-day evaluation, the company proceeded with the AI-powered chatbot. But this wasn’t about replacing jobs—it was about?reimagining them. The chatbot took over routine, repetitive tasks, but the help desk team—now realigned based on their unique strengths—was ready to embrace new, strategic roles that better reflected their hidden talents and the company's evolving needs.

Leadership didn’t just implement a chatbot; they transformed their workforce. The AI tool became a partner, not a replacement. Employees moved into roles that maximized their skills—some began taking ownership of process improvement initiatives, streamlining internal workflows, and enhancing efficiency across departments. Others were stepping into customer success management, leveraging their relationship-building skills to improve client satisfaction and retention.

The company shifted from a traditional, role-based model to a skills-first approach, where AI wasn’t a replacement for people but an accelerator for their growth. Instead of reducing the workforce, leadership unlocked new opportunities, empowering employees to contribute in more impactful ways that pushed the company forward.

The Future of Work Is Here—And It’s Not What You Think

This wasn’t just a story of AI implementation—it was a masterclass in navigating the Future of Work. AI and automation undeniably reshape the job market, but it doesn’t have to be a zero-sum game. This company found a way to enhance its workforce, using AI to take over tasks that machines excel at while empowering its people to focus on what humans do best—strategic thinking, creativity, and complex problem-solving.

It’s time to reframe the narrative around AI. The fear that machines will take all our jobs is outdated. The reality is far more dynamic—and much more exciting. Companies can survive and?thrive?in a world where AI and automation are accelerating at breakneck speed by focusing on skills, competencies, and human potential. The future of work isn’t about humans versus machines—it’s about leveraging both to their fullest potential.

For this company, the future wasn’t a threat—it was an opportunity. With the right tools, strategic insight, and a people-first approach, they’ve positioned themselves to adapt to whatever comes next and lead the way.