A new report warns businesses that AI agents could be the source of more cyber breaches in 2026 than human error. According to information broker and credit bureau Experian, bad actors are leveraging AI-driven automation more than ever to create convincing identities, evade detection and exploit emerging technologies.
In its 13th Annual Data Breach Industry Forecast, the company offers six predictions for the coming year, pointing to a threat landscape increasingly influenced by AI, autonomous agents and other technologies such as quantum computing. The forecast suggests cyberattacks will become more personalized, persistent and difficult to identify, raising the stakes for organizations across industries.
“Technology is evolving at breakneck speed, and cybercriminals are often the first to adopt tools like AI to outpace defenses and exploit vulnerabilities,” said Michael Bruemmer, vice president of global data breach resolution at Experian.
The report comes amid a steady rise in data breaches. More than 8,000 global breaches were recorded in the first half of 2025, exposing about 345 million records, according to Experian research. Among the company’s clients, the United States, United Kingdom and Canada were the most affected countries.
Experian’s forecast also highlights growing consumer concern about AI-enabled attacks. Research conducted in the United States and United Kingdom shows younger generations are increasingly vulnerable to scams, while many victims report inadequate support after a breach. In the U.S., 69 percent of adults say they do not believe their bank or retailer is prepared to defend against AI-driven cyberattacks or are unsure. More than three-quarters believe cybercrime will continue to increase because of AI.
For enterprises investing in automation and AI, the findings underscore the need to balance innovation with stronger security and incident-response planning as attack methods evolve.