AI-Powered Cyberattacks Are Getting Smarter: Could Your Devices Be the Next Target?

AI-powered cyberattacks targeting smartphones, laptops, and connected devices with cybersecurity protection and digital threat warnings.

Imagine receiving an email from your bank that looks completely genuine. It uses professional language, contains your name, and warns that your account needs immediate verification. Everything appears normal. But the message is actually part of a cyberattack designed to steal your personal information.

What makes this situation more concerning is that artificial intelligence can help criminals create convincing messages, realistic images, cloned voices, and targeted scams with less effort than before.

Cyberattacks are not new. However, the growing availability of generative AI is changing how some criminals prepare and execute their activities. Instead of relying entirely on manually written messages or basic automated tools, attackers can use AI to research targets, generate convincing content, and support different stages of an attack.

This does not mean AI can automatically hack every smartphone or computer. It means existing cybercrime techniques can become more convincing, scalable, and difficult for ordinary users to recognize.

So, how exactly is AI changing cybercrime, and what can people do to protect their devices?

Let's examine the technology, the risks, and the practical security measures that matter.

1. How Is AI Changing Cyberattacks?

Artificial intelligence is increasingly being used as a supporting tool in cybercrime.

Generative AI systems can produce text, images, audio, video, and computer code. These capabilities have legitimate applications, but criminals can misuse them to improve social engineering, impersonation, phishing, and other fraudulent activities.

For example, a traditional phishing email might contain unusual grammar, spelling mistakes, or awkward wording. An AI-assisted message can be written in fluent English, adapted to a particular person, and made to look more like a genuine business communication.

According to Google's Threat Intelligence Group, observed misuse of AI by threat actors includes gathering information, creating realistic phishing scams, and developing malware.

The important distinction is that AI is often helping criminals improve existing techniques rather than replacing every part of a cyberattack with an autonomous system.

Why AI makes certain attacks more effective

AI can help attackers:

Generate convincing messages in different languages.
Create realistic-looking fake profiles and images.
Adapt scam messages to different audiences.
Produce scripts and code more quickly.
Analyze publicly available information about potential targets.
Create synthetic voices and videos for impersonation.

These capabilities reduce the effort required to prepare certain scams. However, they do not guarantee that an attack will succeed or that AI-generated code will work as intended.

2. AI-Powered Phishing: Why Fake Messages Are Becoming More Convincing

Phishing is one of the most familiar forms of cybercrime. It involves tricking people into revealing sensitive information, clicking malicious links, downloading harmful files, or approving fraudulent requests.

AI can make phishing campaigns more personalized and convincing.

Consider a hypothetical example.

You receive an email claiming to be from an online payment service. It mentions a recent account activity alert and asks you to confirm your identity.

The message:

Uses your name.
Has professional grammar and formatting.
Includes a familiar company logo.
Creates urgency by warning about account restrictions.
Directs you to a website designed to imitate the real service.

A user who trusts the message might enter their login credentials on the fraudulent website.

The problem is that good grammar and professional presentation are no longer reliable indicators of authenticity.

Common forms of AI-assisted phishing

Email phishing: AI helps produce realistic emails that imitate banks, online services, employers, and business contacts.

Spear phishing: Attackers use publicly available information to create messages aimed at specific individuals or organizations.

Smishing: Fraudulent SMS messages may imitate delivery companies, banks, government services, or payment providers.

Business email compromise: Criminals can use AI-generated messages or impersonation techniques to make fraudulent payment requests appear legitimate.

The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center has documented the use of generative AI in social engineering, phishing, fraudulent websites, and financial scams.

3. Deepfake Scams: Can You Trust a Voice or Video Call?

One of the more concerning developments in AI-enabled fraud is the ability to generate realistic synthetic voices and videos.

Voice cloning technology can imitate a person's voice using audio samples. Deepfake technology can also manipulate or generate video content.

Criminals can misuse these technologies to impersonate family members, business executives, public figures, or other trusted individuals.

A realistic example

Imagine receiving a phone call from someone who sounds exactly like a family member.

They claim to have an emergency and urgently need money.

Because the voice sounds familiar, you may feel pressured to act immediately.

However, the voice could have been artificially generated.

A similar technique can be used in business environments. An employee might receive a video call that appears to show a senior executive requesting an urgent financial transfer.

The FBI has warned about malicious messaging campaigns involving AI-generated voice messages used to impersonate senior officials.

How to protect yourself from voice cloning

Do not send money simply because a familiar voice requests it.
Call the person back using a previously verified phone number.
Establish a private family verification phrase.
Confirm unusual financial requests through a second communication channel.
Be cautious when someone creates extreme urgency or demands secrecy.

Remember: hearing a familiar voice is not sufficient proof of someone's identity.

For a deeper understanding of how criminals use AI-generated videos, cloned voices, and fake messages, read our guide on AI Scams Are Getting Smarter: How to Spot Fake Videos, Voices and Messages.

4. Can AI Help Criminals Create Malware?

Malware is malicious software designed to damage systems, steal information, monitor activities, or gain unauthorized access to devices.

Traditional malware development requires technical knowledge. AI coding tools may lower some barriers by helping people understand code, generate scripts, or troubleshoot programming problems.

Criminals may misuse these capabilities to support malware-related activities.

However, generating code is not the same as creating a successful cyberattack.

Malware still needs a way to reach a target, execute successfully, and overcome security protections. Operating system restrictions, endpoint security, network controls, and other defensive measures can prevent or limit an attack.

What kinds of threats should users understand?

Information stealers: Malware designed to collect information such as saved credentials, browser data, or other sensitive files.

Ransomware: Malicious software that can encrypt or otherwise restrict access to files and demand payment.

Remote access malware: Software that can give attackers unauthorized control over a compromised device.

Spyware: Software designed to monitor user activity or collect information without appropriate consent.

AI may help criminals with certain development or preparation tasks, but these malware categories existed long before modern generative AI.

The realistic concern is that AI could make some parts of the criminal process easier or faster, not that every malware attack is now independently created and operated by AI.

5. AI-Powered Attacks Are Not Limited to Computers

Many people associate cybersecurity primarily with desktop computers and laptops. In reality, smartphones, tablets, smart home products, and online accounts are also potential targets.

The risk often comes from the information and access connected to these devices.

Smartphones

Smartphones contain valuable personal information, including messages, photographs, saved passwords, banking applications, and authentication tools.

A convincing fake message or fraudulent application could trick someone into sharing credentials or granting unnecessary permissions.

Laptops and desktop computers

Computers may contain work documents, personal files, browser sessions, saved passwords, and access to business systems.

Outdated software and poorly secured accounts can increase exposure to known security weaknesses.

Smart home devices

Internet-connected cameras, routers, televisions, and other smart devices may introduce additional security risks if they use weak passwords, outdated firmware, or insecure configurations.

Cloud accounts

Email, cloud storage, and productivity platforms can contain information from multiple devices.

An attacker who compromises one account may potentially access connected information or services, depending on the permissions available.

The lesson is simple: protecting a device also means protecting the accounts and services connected to it.

6. What Does the Latest Cybercrime Evidence Tell Us?

The growing misuse of AI is not just a theoretical concern.

The FBI's 2025 Internet Crime Report includes a dedicated section on artificial intelligence used in cybercrime.

According to the report:

22,364 complaints contained AI-related information.
Adjusted reported losses associated with these complaints exceeded $893 million.
AI-related investment complaints accounted for more than $632 million in reported losses.
AI-involved business email compromise complaints accounted for more than $30 million in reported losses.

These figures provide an indication of the financial impact associated with reported AI-related fraud.

However, they need to be interpreted carefully. An AI-related complaint does not necessarily mean AI independently conducted the attack. AI can be one component of a wider fraud scheme.

The report also reflects complaints submitted to the FBI's IC3, not every cybercrime occurring worldwide.

For global readers, the broader lesson is that AI-assisted fraud deserves attention even though the underlying criminal techniques are not entirely new.

7. Seven Practical Ways to Protect Your Devices From AI-Powered Cyberattacks

You do not need advanced technical knowledge to improve your digital security. A few consistent habits can significantly reduce common risks.

1. Enable Multi-Factor Authentication

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) adds an additional verification step when you sign in.

For example, even if someone obtains your password, they may still need another authentication factor to access your account.

Where available, consider using passkeys or phishing-resistant authentication methods.

Enable MFA on important accounts, particularly:

Email accounts.
Banking and financial services.
Social media accounts.
Cloud storage.
Work-related platforms.

2. Use Strong and Unique Passwords

Avoid using the same password across multiple websites.

If one service experiences a data breach, reused passwords could expose other accounts.

Use a reputable password manager to create and store unique passwords.

Long, unique passwords make unauthorized account access more difficult.

3. Verify Suspicious Messages Independently

Never trust a message simply because it contains your name, a familiar logo, or professional language.

If a message claims to come from a bank, company, employer, or government department:

Open the official website directly.
Use the organization's verified contact information.
Avoid signing in through unexpected links.
Confirm unusual requests through a separate communication channel.

This is particularly important when a message involves money, account recovery, or personal information.

4. Keep Your Devices and Applications Updated

Software updates frequently include security fixes.

Running outdated operating systems, browsers, applications, and router firmware may leave known vulnerabilities unpatched.

Enable automatic updates where practical and install security updates promptly.

Do not ignore update notifications for months.

5. Review Application Permissions

Some applications request access to contacts, photographs, microphones, cameras, files, or location information.

Consider whether each permission is necessary for the application's purpose.

Also review connected third-party applications in your important online accounts.

Do not approve unfamiliar access requests simply because a website or application looks legitimate.

6. Back Up Important Information

A reliable backup can help you recover important files after accidental deletion, hardware failure, or certain malware incidents.

Consider maintaining:

A regular cloud backup.
An additional offline or external backup.
Separate protection for important personal and business documents.

For particularly sensitive information, protect backup accounts with strong authentication.

A backup is useful only if it can actually be restored, so periodically check that important files are recoverable.

7. Learn to Recognize Social Engineering

Social engineering involves manipulating people into revealing information or performing actions that benefit an attacker.

AI can make these attempts more believable, but the warning signs often remain familiar:

Unexpected urgency.
Requests for money or confidential information.
Unusual payment instructions.
Requests to install unfamiliar applications.
Unexpected login or document-sharing links.
Pressure to bypass normal security procedures.

Take a moment to verify before responding.

8. What Should You Do If You Suspect an AI-Powered Cyberattack?

Even careful users can encounter scams or compromised accounts. Knowing what to do next is important.

If you suspect that your account or device has been compromised, consider these steps:

Step 1: Stop interacting with the suspicious message.

Do not click additional links, download attachments, or provide further information.

Step 2: Secure your accounts.

From a trusted device, change affected passwords and review active sessions. Revoke suspicious third-party application access and check recovery details.

If an OAuth permission request was approved accidentally, changing your password alone may not remove the application's access. Revoke the suspicious application authorization in the relevant account's security settings.

Step 3: Contact your bank if financial information is involved.

Use the bank's official contact channel. Report unauthorized transactions or suspicious activity immediately.

Step 4: Scan your device.

Use reputable security software and follow the device manufacturer's or security provider's incident-response guidance.

For serious infections, consider professional assistance before resetting or reinstalling the device.

Step 5: Preserve evidence.

Keep relevant messages, screenshots, transaction information, email headers, and suspicious URLs where safe to do so.

Step 6: Report the incident.

Use the appropriate cybercrime reporting authority in your country.

For example, people in the United States can report eligible internet crimes through the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). People in India can use the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal at https://cybercrime.gov.in.

9. What Is the Role of AI in Defending Against Cyberattacks?

AI is not exclusively a tool for cybercriminals. Security professionals also use artificial intelligence to strengthen digital defenses.

Depending on the system and its configuration, AI-assisted security tools can help with:

Identifying unusual account activity.
Detecting suspicious network behaviour.
Prioritizing security alerts.
Analyzing large amounts of security data.
Identifying potentially malicious files or messages.
Supporting incident investigation.

For example, an enterprise security platform might identify an unusual login pattern and flag it for investigation.

A security analyst can then examine the alert, determine whether it represents a genuine threat, and take appropriate action.

However, AI-based detection is not perfect.

False positives, missed threats, incomplete data, and incorrect classifications remain possible. Organizations should not treat AI-generated security alerts as automatically correct.

Effective cybersecurity still requires people, reliable security processes, access controls, regular updates, and appropriate monitoring.

10. The Future of AI-Powered Cybersecurity

As AI systems become more capable, both attackers and defenders will continue exploring new ways to use them.

One area requiring particular attention is agentic AI.

Unlike a conventional chatbot that primarily responds to prompts, an AI agent may be designed to use tools, access information, and complete multiple steps toward a defined objective.

This can be useful in business operations, software development, and security monitoring. However, connecting autonomous agents to sensitive accounts or systems introduces additional risks.

In May 2026, CISA and international cybersecurity partners released guidance on the careful adoption of agentic AI services.

The guidance emphasizes limiting unnecessary access, maintaining strong identity management, applying layered defenses, monitoring activity, and conducting security assessments.

These recommendations highlight an important principle: more capable AI systems need stronger security controls.

Organizations should consider:

Giving AI agents only the permissions required for their tasks.
Keeping sensitive credentials away from unnecessary tools.
Reviewing external data and instructions before allowing agents to act on them.
Monitoring important actions and maintaining audit logs.
Requiring human approval for sensitive financial, legal, or personal-data operations.
Testing systems for prompt injection and other manipulation attempts.

The future of cybersecurity will not depend on AI alone. It will depend on how responsibly organizations design, deploy, and supervise these systems.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can AI hack my smartphone automatically?

AI does not automatically give someone access to your smartphone. Attackers generally still need an exploitable vulnerability, malicious application, stolen credentials, or another way to gain access. AI may support parts of an attack, but device security measures remain important.

2. How can I identify an AI-generated phishing email?

There is no completely reliable visual or grammatical sign that identifies every AI-generated message. Check the sender's address, website domain, unexpected attachments, requests for sensitive information, and unusual payment instructions. Verify the request independently.

3. Can AI clone someone's voice?

Yes. AI voice-generation technologies can create synthetic speech resembling a real person's voice. Criminals may misuse this capability for impersonation and financial fraud.

4. Is antivirus software enough to protect against AI cyberattacks?

No single security product provides complete protection. Antivirus or endpoint security software can help detect certain threats, but users should also enable MFA, update software, use unique passwords, maintain backups, and verify suspicious communications.

5. Are AI-powered cyberattacks a threat to ordinary users?

Yes. Ordinary users can encounter AI-assisted phishing, impersonation, fraudulent investment schemes, fake customer-support messages, and other scams. However, this does not mean every internet user is being individually targeted.

6. Can AI also protect people from cyberattacks?

Yes. Security companies use AI-assisted technologies to analyze suspicious activity, identify potential threats, prioritize alerts, and support security investigations. These systems still require proper configuration and human oversight.

Final Thoughts

Artificial intelligence is changing the digital security landscape, but the biggest concern is not simply that computers are becoming smarter.

It is that criminals can use new tools to make familiar scams more convincing, reach more people, and exploit trust more effectively.

A realistic-looking email, a familiar voice, or a professional-looking website should never be treated as proof of authenticity.

The most effective response is a combination of awareness and practical security. Keep your devices updated, protect important accounts with strong authentication, maintain backups, and independently verify unusual requests.

AI can help improve cybersecurity, but technology alone cannot replace responsible decisions.

In an increasingly AI-driven world, staying secure starts with thinking before you click, approve, or share.

Sources and Further Reading

The following independent and official resources support the factual and security guidance discussed in this article.