The era of fully autonomous, AI-driven cyberattacks has begun after Anthropic uncovered what it says is the first documented case of such an espionage operation.
Suspected Chinese state hackers used Claude Code to target roughly 30 organizations — including tech firms, banks, chemical companies, and government agencies — and successfully breach several, Axios reported Sunday.
Anthropic said the AI system automated 80%-90% of the operation, collapsing what experts thought was a 12-18 month timeline.
Google recently observed Russian military hackers using artificial intelligence to generate malware scripts, and U.S. officials warn capabilities will only accelerate.
"Guys wake the f up," Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., wrote Thursday on X. "This is going to destroy us — sooner than we think — if we don't make AI regulation a national priority tomorrow."
The breakthrough comes as U.S. cyber readiness erodes.
The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency has lost more than a third of its workforce this year, federal-private threat sharing has deteriorated, and funding cuts have hit state and local systems.
Experts including former CISA Director Jen Easterly warn adversaries will soon automate most of the attack chain — and defenders must be ready.
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