Experts Report Limited Impact of AI in Cybercrime, Urge Caution in AI Adoption
A recent study conducted by researchers from the universities of Edinburgh, Strathclyde, and Cambridge has found that cybercriminals are struggling to effectively integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into their activities. The study analyzed 100 million posts from underground cybercrime communities and concluded that most hackers lack the necessary skills or resources to innovate using AI. While AI has been used in some cybercrime schemes, such as hiding detectable patterns and running social media bots for harassment and fraud, its overall impact remains limited. The research highlights that AI tools are more beneficial to criminals already skilled in coding, but they do not lower the entry barrier for new cybercriminals. Despite some success in manipulating chatbot outputs, safety mechanisms on major platforms are reducing potential harm. Dr. Ben Collier from the University of Edinburgh emphasized that the real danger lies in the adoption of poorly secured AI systems by companies and the public, which ... 
