Hackers Get New 'Superpowers', Anthropic Warns AI Is Doing Hard Work For Them

Artificial

intelligence has been adopted by various industries to help humans in mundane tasks. However, hackers are also using the AI at a rapid pace, making it more dangerous. Dario Amodei-led Anthropic has analysed 832 accounts banned for malicious cyber activity between March 2025 and March 2026. The American firm noted that hackers are using not just to create malware but also perform complex tasks inside compromised systems. Notably, these findings highlight how AI is dramatically increasing the risks of cyberattacks.

Hackers Adopt AI For Cyberattacks

As per the company, the most common use of AI among attackers was preparing for cyberattacks. Over two-thirds of the inspected accounts used AI to help create malicious software and support other attack preparations. Anthropic said, “Cyberattacks are becoming more autonomous, and the fact that AI can be used to chain together many parts of the attack means that the old ways of differentiating high- from low-risk actors are no longer as effective."Moreover, researchers have also found a more worrying trend. Cybercriminals are also using the AI after they hacked a targeted system. In some cases, the tech was used to spot valid user accounts, move through networks and help attackers gain higher levels of access.The Amodei-led firm highlighted that these activities conventionally needed strong technical expertise. AI tools are now lowering those standards, letting less experienced actors perform tasks that were once limited to highly skilled hackers.

Traditional Security Approach Is Not Effective

The company suggested that the security teams have traditionally assessed cyber threats which were based on factors such as the number of techniques used by the attackers and the tools they depend on. The company notes that these indicators are eventually becoming less useful in the era of AI."In that attack, the model worked as an autonomous agent: it executed commands, exploited vulnerabilities, stole credentials, and made tactical decisions, only requiring human input at a few key moments," the company said. The report points out a big concern: as AI becomes more capable, hackers may no longer require strong expertise to conduct cyber attacks. Rather, AI tools can handle much of the complex work on their behalf.