AI-Powered Cyber Threats Soar as Tech Giants Sound Alarm
More than 100 technology and financial companies, including OpenAI, Anthropic, Microsoft, Google, and Cloudflare, have joined forces to warn of growing AI-powered cyber threats. The group is calling for stronger defenses and closer cooperation between governments and private companies.
The industry warning highlights the increasing sophistication of AI-powered attacks, which are becoming cheaper and easier to scale. AI can automate tasks that once required experienced attackers, including reconnaissance, phishing, and movement through compromised networks.
A recent study by Anthropic found that the share of banned accounts involving medium-risk or more serious threat actors rose from 33% to 56% within a year. The use of AI in cyberattacks is also being seen in North Korea, where attackers have experimented with locally hosted AI tools to improve phishing and attack automation.
Crypto platforms are particularly vulnerable due to the ease of moving stolen funds across borders. In the first half of 2026, TRM Labs recorded 201 crypto hacks, up from 83 a year earlier, with July alone seeing around $247 million stolen across wallets, bridges, and lending protocols.