Cyber attackers and defenders use the same tools. How will AI change the lag or timing of the race between opening and closing security holes?

In addition to being a tool that cyber attackers and defenders use, in 2026, AI will increasingly shape the landscape in which they compete. As companies integrate AI capabilities into their enterprise systems, this will create new vulnerabilities that adversaries will seek to exploit and defenders must address—from prompt injection attacks to data exfiltration from AI systems. The widespread adoption of AI coding tools will also shape the cybersecurity environment in 2026, as hackers increasingly exploit weaknesses in hastily produced “vibe coded” software. On the other hand, experts hope AI can ultimately reduce software vulnerabilities through better pre-release testing and by lowering the cost to re-write flawed code in legacy technology used to operate many critical infrastructure systems today.

Teddy Nemeroff via here