Rise of AI-Aided Ransomware Predicted for 2026

Trend Micro researchers predict that in 2026, cybercriminals will increasingly utilize agentic AI to automate their operations, including ransomware attacks. This prediction follows a report from Anthropic, which claims to have identified the first instance of agentic AI orchestrating a cyberattack by a Chinese state team. Ryan Flores, Trend's lead for data and technology research, emphasized the significance of this technological advancement.