Artificial intelligence is driving an industrialization of cybercrime that makes attacks faster, harder to trace, and accessible to a wider pool of perpetrators, according to security experts who discussed these developments during a Cybersecurity-Schwerpunktwoche hosted by Die Presse. The panel discussion, moderated by Eva Komarek, featured Martin Grasel from the Bundeskriminalamt, Philipp Mattes-Draxler from PwC Österreich, and Roland Supper from the Erste Group.
AI Alters the Cybercrime Threat Landscape
The recently presented Cybercrime-Report des Bundeskriminalamts für das Jahr 2025 points to an ongoing high level of internet crime and a threat landscape altered by artificial intelligence. While some types of offenses are decreasing, cyberattacks on the accounts of individuals and companies are on the rise. Martin Grasel, head of investigations at the Cybercrime-Competence-Center of the Bundeskriminalamt, stated:
Das alles ist kein Zeichen der Entspannung, sondern die zunehmende Industrialisierung von Cybercrime. . Neue Technologien der Täter verändern diese Landschaft.
Grasel noted that AI acts as a driver for phenomena such as deepfakes, the promotion of internet fraud, and improved phishing attacks. Organized internet crime and the trend toward “Crime as a Service” are fueling this dynamic, creating dedicated industries and ecosystems that lower the entry barrier for criminals so that participation is easy for anyone.
Financial Institutions Prioritize Cybersecurity to Protect Customers
Financial institutions and commercial enterprises face distinct challenges in this environment. Roland Supper, Group Chief Security Officer at the Erste Group, noted that the institution protects 23 million customers across eight core markets in Central, South, and Eastern Europe, making it a geopolitically interesting target. Supper emphasized that cybersecurity has long been a priority for executive leadership within the group to ensure data protection and strengthen customer trust.
Meanwhile, companies across the corporate landscape—from large corporations to small and medium-sized enterprises—are adopting artificial intelligence at varying levels. Philipp Mattes-Draxler, a partner in cybersecurity and privacy at PwC Österreich, explained that unlike past technological shifts, AI serves departments far beyond IT. It simplifies tasks and cognitive work across marketing, production, and security alike, as organizations seek to become cheaper, more efficient, and more effective. At the same time, this widespread adoption presents ongoing challenges for security teams as both attackers and defenders harness the technology in a continuous technological arms race.
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