AI and cybersecurity: how artificial intelligence both protects and threatens businesses

AI, the new weapon of cybersecurityArtificial intelligence is revolutionizing cybersecurity in 2026. Intrusion detection systems powered by machine learning identify threats in real time with 95% accuracy.AI-augmented defensesBehavioral analysis detects anomalies in network traffic. Natural language processing identifies phishing emails with remarkable accuracy. SOAR systems automate incident response, reducing reaction time to just a few seconds.The threat: offensive AICybercriminals are also using AI to create convincing deepfakes, generate personalized phishing emails and automate vulnerability discovery.RecommendationsCompanies must integrate AI into their cyber defense strategy, train their teams on the new threats, and set up regular simulation exercises.Source: Kevin Mandia, Mandiant (Google Cloud Security), Q1 2026 report