A recent Gartner survey has uncovered a concerning trend in the cybersecurity landscape – the rise of generative artificial intelligence (AI) attacks. According to the report, nearly one-third of organizations have experienced an AI-powered cyberattack in the past 12 months, with the threat only expected to escalate in the coming years.
Generative AI, a technology that can create realistic-looking text, images, and other content, is increasingly being weaponized by cybercriminals. Attackers are leveraging these AI systems to generate highly convincing phishing emails, deepfake videos, and other malicious content that can bypass traditional security measures. The survey found that the most common AI-powered attacks included impersonation attempts, social engineering, and the creation of fake social media accounts and online personas.
“Generative AI is a double-edged sword,” said a Gartner cybersecurity expert. “While the technology holds immense potential, it is also being exploited by bad actors to launch more sophisticated and harder-to-detect attacks. Organizations must urgently address this emerging threat by investing in advanced AI-based security solutions and educating their workforce on the risks.”