The software engineering channel is the path through which AI affects firm performance by changing how productive software engineers are. In practice, that means AI can help engineers write code, review pull requests, generate tests, search documentation, and patch defects faster. The effect is economic, but it also has a security dimension: more productive engineering can shorten the time between finding a vulnerability and shipping a fix.
This channel matters in cyber security because the same tools that speed up defense can also speed up offense. AI-assisted coding may help defenders harden systems, automate detections, and respond to incidents more quickly. But it can also lower the cost of building phishing kits, malware, or exploit proofs of concept. Security teams should therefore measure real changes in patch velocity, code quality, and review coverage, not just assume that AI adoption automatically improves outcomes.