Artificial intelligence may be fueling a sharp rise in cyberattacks, but retired FBI Supervisory Special Agent Scott Augenbaum said on Newsmax Wednesday that the technology isn't making criminals more intelligent — it's simply making their schemes faster, cheaper, and more scalable.
Augenbaum, reacting to new data from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike showing an 89% increase in AI-enabled cyberattacks over the past year, told Newsmax's "National Report" that "it's no surprise at all, because today these tools are available to anyone."
He added that "anyone all around the world can get their hands on artificial intelligence. And this is just the use of technology to increase cybercrime."
Augenbaum, a cybersecurity expert, emphasized that "artificial intelligence is not making the cybercriminals smarter. It's just using tools to prey [on] our emotions to make us react differently."
According to CrowdStrike's findings, AI-powered adversaries are increasingly deploying automated phishing emails, voice cloning, and malware campaigns designed to bypass traditional defenses.
But Augenbaum emphasized that the underlying tactics — deception, impersonation, urgency — remain largely the same.
When asked whether anything can stop AI-related threats, Augenbaum said "there are going to be tools that are coming out that's going to be able to prevent the AI malware."
But he warned that consumers should expect more convincing fraudulent emails, text messages, and even phone calls generated or enhanced by AI tools.
These scams often exploit psychological triggers such as authority and trust, prompting victims to act quickly before verifying the legitimacy of a request.
"They're going to really hit a couple of emotions — authority, trust — and they're going to get us to react quickly," he said.
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Brian Freeman ✉
Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television.
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