Podcast - Cyber and AI roles in the economy - part of CyberScotland Week – with Deloitte

28th February 2026

In this episode of the Fraser of Allander podcast, Professor Mairi Spowage, Director of the Fraser of Allander Institute, tackles "cyber". What it really means, why it matters for Scotland's economy, and how it intersects with AI adoption.

She's joined by Alex Brown (Deloitte, cyber resilience and transformation) and Karen Meechan (CEO of ScotlandIS and Chair of the Cyber Scotland Partnership) to demystify cyber roles beyond the stereotypes, explore how AI is changing security operations, and discuss the skills pipeline Scotland needs - including the push for "secure by design," stronger governance, and a more diverse future workforce.

This is accompanied by analysis of the Cyber workforce in the UK and Scotland: which shows that these roles have been growing significantly over the last few years, are spread across many industries, are highly paid - and dominated by men. Many of these issues, especially the gender imbalance, are discussed in the pod.

To listen go HERE