Europol's Executive Director, Catherine De Bolle, emphasized that AI-powered attacks often combine profit motives with state-aligned destabilization efforts. The report warns of state-sponsored actors disguising themselves as cybercriminals to obscure their true intentions, with recent examples including a cyberattack on a Polish hospital. The European Commission is preparing to launch a new internal security policy, with plans to double Europol's staff to address these threats. European Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration, Magnus Brunner, stressed the urgency of embedding security into all aspects of European policy to counteract these evolving threats.
Key takeaways:
- Europol warns that artificial intelligence is significantly enhancing organized crime across the EU, posing a threat to societal foundations.
- The EU Serious and Organized Crime Threat Assessment 2025 report highlights the rise in AI-driven cybercrime, including precise and devastating attacks.
- AI technologies are facilitating new forms of fraud, extortion, and identity theft through synthetic media, voice cloning, and deepfakes.
- State-sponsored actors are increasingly using cybercriminal tactics to mask their origins and motives, with geopolitical implications.