AI phishing scams are now more effective than manmade ones
A study from Harvard Kennedy School and Avant Research Group reveals that AI phishing messages have become more effective than the conventional ones.
AI-generated scam emails had a 54% success rate in getting people to click links.
In contrast, generic, manmade emails only had 12%.
READ: Readers more likely to distrust news from AI articles
AI models can also help spot phishing scams, but criminals also improve their technologies constantly.
As a result, researchers foresee “a cycle whereby advancements in defense will inform advancements in attacks and vice-versa.”
How AI beat humans in scamming people
🚨 AI-powered phishing scams are on the rise, and they're harder to spot than ever.
— DNSFilter (@DNSFilter) January 10, 2025
Cybercriminals are using generative AI to craft hyper-personalized emails that slip past traditional defenses, mimicking trusted sources and fooling even the savviest users.
At DNSFilter, we…
Phishing is one of the most common cyberattacks worldwide.
It involves malicious people sending fraudulent emails or text messages designed to trick recipients into sharing sensitive information.
Alternatively, scammers may fool people into clicking links that install malware.
Phishing exploits human psychology by leveraging trust, urgency or curiosity to manipulate victims. Scams must feel authentic.
Achieving that authenticity requires tailoring each message to fit each victim.
Previously, that task required numerous writers to efficiently create and send enough scam messages.
Hiring that many scammers can reduce a scam’s potential earnings.
Unfortunately, AI phishing makes these schemes more productive than ever.
They can generate hundreds of tailor-made emails in minutes.
Worse, The Debrief says attackers can earn 50 times more by launching AI phishing attacks on groups of around 10,000 people.
As mentioned, a recent study shows that they can be more effective than manmade ones.
Matteo Tomasini warned the public that AI eliminates the typical errors of phishing messages, making them harder to spot.
He is the Chief Technology Officer of District 4 Labs, a company that specializes in building security tools that monitor the Dark Web.
Also, he said artificial intelligence will play a “dual role” in facilitating and beating AI phishing scams.
More importantly, Tomasini warns people to be more wary online.
He suggests using multi-factor authentication on all online accounts, updating security software, and changing passwords regularly.
Filipinos should also heed this warning. Inquirer NewsInfo reports the Philippines lost $8.1 billion or nearly ₱460 billion last year due to phishing.
