AI-Driven Vulnerability Disclosures Double Amid Rising RCE Risks

• •Vulnerability disclosures doubled from 5,045 to 10,740 between January and August 2026.
• •50% of AI-discovered vulnerabilities enable remote code execution, compared to 26% of non-AI findings.
• •High-risk vulnerabilities increased by 167%, with 350 reported in August 2026.

A report from Google's Threat Intelligence Group reveals that vulnerability disclosures have doubled from 5,045 in January 2026 to 10,740 in August 2026, largely influenced by AI technologies. The number of vulnerabilities exploited in the wild also increased, averaging 18 per month, compared to 10.5 in 2025. Notably, 50% of AI-discovered vulnerabilities allow for remote code execution (RCE), a significant increase compared to 26% of non-AI vulnerabilities. High-risk vulnerabilities grew by 167%, with 350 reported in August. Zero-day exploitation saw a slight rise to an average of 11 per month, with a notable spike to 22 in August. The report highlights that many vulnerabilities are inflated due to automated CVE assignments, particularly those related to the Linux kernel. GTIG suggests that attackers may be leveraging AI tools to rapidly exploit known flaws. The report emphasizes the need for organizations to adopt threat-intelligence-driven triage for effective vulnerability management.