Hillstone Networks

AI Disrupts White Hat Ecosystem: 8000 Viewers Join Live Debate on SRC Closures and Security Industry Future

A live stream hosted by AikerWorld and HackingClub drew nearly 8000 viewers as nine security experts debated the impact of AI on white hat communities following the closure of a major financial sector SRC and HackerOne's shift to mandatory real-name submissions. Hu Xiaona, founder of the communities and 360 VulnCloud executive, described the changes as a structural wave that devalues routine vulnerability submissions while pushing practitioners toward AI Forward Deployed Engineer roles. Xiong Yong argued that AI lowers attack costs yet forces enterprises to treat security as essential rather than optional. Other speakers including Yang Wei, Wei Yongqiang, and Jia Yu examined pricing pressure, the need for human oversight during AI-driven testing, and the cyclical nature of security budgets. The discussion converged on the view that AI eliminates low-skill tool-based hunting but elevates complex research and defensive engineering skills. Participants highlighted risks such as un-audited AI actions deleting production data and warned that SRC platforms are moving from open crowdsourcing to curated, real-name models.