AI cyberattacks surge 56%, cost businesses $6.04 million per breach — IBM

According to IBM's 2026 Cost of a Data Breach Report, there has been a significant surge in AI-driven cyberattacks, with a 56% increase in the past year. These attacks, now costing businesses an average of $6.04 million each, are becoming increasingly sophisticated and costly. The report found that over a quarter of organizations experienced a malicious AI-driven attack, highlighting a major concern across industries.

Deepfake impersonation was identified as the most common form of AI-driven attack, accounting for 45% of instances. This was followed by AI-generated malware at 19% and AI-generated phishing and other communications at 17%. The use of generative AI has made social engineering attacks cheaper to execute and harder to detect, allowing attackers to create convincing content and manipulate victims more effectively.

Moreover, cybercriminals are increasingly targeting the AI systems deployed by businesses. As AI becomes more integrated into corporate applications, data, and workflows, vulnerabilities are becoming more significant. This trend is particularly concerning in Africa, where a study by INTERPOL's African Cyberthreat Assessment Report 2026 found that 55% of reported cybercrimes on the continent were AI-related.

INTERPOL's Director of the Cybercrime Unit, Neal Jetton, emphasized the need for countries to move beyond isolated national responses and strengthen coordinated cross-border action to combat this growing threat. The report warns that criminals are leveraging AI to create convincing synthetic content, including fake social media profiles, voice recordings, and videos.

These deepfakes can be used to impersonate individuals, deceive victims, and facilitate fraud, posing a significant challenge to cybersecurity efforts worldwide.