The digital world faces an unprecedented convergence of threats. AI fraud is on the rise and it will exacerbate cybercrime even more . As we enter 2026, cybersecurity has evolved from a technical challenge into a defining economic and geopolitical crisis. The World Economic Forum’s Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2026, developed with Accenture, reveals a stark reality: cybercrime is projected to cost the world $10.5 trillion USD in 2025, while global cybersecurity spending will surge 12.5% in 2026 to $240 billion. Despite this massive investment, nearly 8 in 10 (78%) companies were hit by ransomware attacks over the past year, and the global average cost of a data breach reached $4.44 million in 2025.
The threat landscape has fundamentally shifted. From the same Cobalt report, ransomware attacks tripled year-over-year between Q1 2024 and Q1 2025, from 572 to 1,537, while nearly all data breaches (95%) involve human error. The impact extends far beyond IT departments, disrupting national security, destabilizing economies, and eroding social trust on a global scale.
The AI Revolution: A Double-Edged Sword
Artificial intelligence is set to drive the biggest changes in cybersecurity next year, according to 94% of survey respondents. This shows how much AI is changing both attack and defense.
AI is changing cybersecurity for both defenders and attackers. It helps defenders spot threats faster and automate responses. At the same time, it gives attackers new tools for large-scale fraud, advanced phishing, and the exploitation of software flaws at speed.
More organizations are now taking AI security seriously. The number checking the security of their AI tools jumped from 37% in 2025 to 64% in 2026. Still, 87% of respondents say AI-related vulnerabilities are the fastest-growing cyber risk.
Cyber Fraud Emerges as the Top Threat
Phishing and cyber fraud have now passed ransomware as the top concern for business leaders. This constitutes a major change in the threat landscape.
In the survey, 73% of respondents reported that they or someone in their network had been personally affected by cyber-enabled fraud over the course of 2025, with chief executive officers rating cyber-enabled fraud as their top concern, moving attention away from ransomware to emerging risks such as cyber-enabled fraud and AI vulnerabilities.
These attacks erode trust, disrupt markets, and directly impact people. From invoice scams to AI-driven phishing, the line between real and fake is getting harder to spot.
Geopolitics Reshapes the Cyber Battlefield
Geopolitics is still the main factor shaping cyber risk strategies in 2026. Sixty-four percent (64%) of organizations now plan for attacks linked to geopolitical motives, including critical infrastructure disruption and espionage.
International disputes are forcing change. 91% of the largest organizations have updated their information security strategies because of this volatility. They are adapting to hybrid attacks, sovereignty issues, and complex regulations.
Confidence in national cyber readiness is falling. 31% of respondents now have low confidence in their country’s ability to handle major cyber incidents, up from 26% last year. Many now see that threats are outpacing defenses.
The Growing Cyber Inequity Crisis
The report marks a growing gap between those with strong cyber defenses and those without. Organizations and countries with fewer resources face more risk from cybercrime, supply chain issues, and system failures, but lack the tools to respond.
69% of CEOs in Latin America and the Caribbean say they lack enough cybersecurity talent to meet their goals (as cited in secondary reporting on the WEF report). This shortage is not just technical. It is an economic and social issue that leaves regions exposed.
The Road Ahead: Collaboration and Resilience
Cyber risk is now a strategic, economic, and social issue, not solely a technical one. The complexity of today’s supply chains means that a single weak link can affect entire sectors. Collaboration is now essential.
Building collective cyber resilience is now an economic and social priority. Cybersecurity is an area where working together can make a real difference, even in a fragmented and uncertain world.
Organizations now face a tougher digital environment. Cybersecurity in 2026 will require more than better technology. It will take coordination, shared intelligence, and a pledge to digital resilience beyond borders and industries.