The World Economic Forum reports cyber‑enabled fraud has overtaken ransomware as the top CEO cybersecurity worry in 2026, with AI seen as a major shaping factor. The Outlook highlights rising phishing, impersonation and crypto‑enabled scams and calls for stronger cross‑border cooperation and AI‑aware defenses.

The World Economic Forum’s Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2026 warns that cyber‑enabled fraud has become one of the most pervasive global threats, with corporate leaders signalling a shift in priorities away from standalone ransomware to fraud and deception enabled by AI and social engineering. Survey respondents reported notable increases in AI‑related vulnerabilities, including deepfake impersonation, AI‑amplified phishing and automated scam campaigns that exploit remote onboarding and digital payments. The report emphasizes the growth of crypto‑enabled scams and the weaponization of generative models to craft highly believable fraudulent content at scale, creating both speed and volume challenges for detection. Authors call for expanded cross‑border cooperation, public‑private information sharing, AI‑aware resilience measures and updated regulatory frameworks to address attribution, recovery and prevention. The Outlook also urges firms to adopt zero‑trust principles, invest in AI‑robust identity verification and train staff on emerging deception techniques to reduce exposure. Policymakers are encouraged to harmonize standards to better coordinate response and preserve trust in digital services.