EBN-Europol’s assessment of the threat posed by organized crime warns that artificial intelligence is accelerating the pace of crime. In a statement, the organization noted that AI is radically reshaping the organized crime landscape, as these technologies expand the scope of criminal operations, making them more scalable and more difficult to detect.
AI is also contributing to the spread of various deepfake attacks to defraud more consumers, as fraudsters use AI to manipulate through “social engineering.”
The organization clarified that online fraud operations are increasingly using artificial intelligence to manipulate people into taking specific actions through intimidation, deception, and persuasion. For instance, if you receive a phony email or text message from your telecom company, the fraudsters will trick you into thinking that your service will be terminated if you do not pay them right away. Some of them may be successful in gaining access to your personal information, which they then use to access your financial accounts and destroy your account.
According to Evan Dornbusch, a former NSA cybersecurity analyst, fraudsters can now create convincing communications more quickly thanks to artificial intelligence. The cost of creating these attacks has been decreased thanks to AI.
Because these calls can be made using the voices of people you care about to trick you into giving them money, the research cautioned against the use of artificial intelligence to create voice impersonation.
According to the EU Serious and Organized Crime Threat Assessment 2025 report, crimes ranging from drug trafficking to people smuggling, money laundering, cyberattacks, and online scams compromise society and the rule of law “by generating illicit proceeds, spreading violence, and normalizing corruption.” The report claimed that the amount of child sexual abuse content available online has increased dramatically due to artificial intelligence (AI), which makes it more challenging to identify offenders and analyze imagery. “Criminals are able to discredit or blackmail targets, deceive victims, and impersonate individuals by creating highly realistic synthetic media.” Additionally, the threat is increased by AI-powered voice cloning and live video deepfakes, which enable new forms of fraud, extortion, and identity theft.
A report suggests that geopolitical states are employing criminals as contractors in cyber-attacks on critical infrastructure and public institutions, originating from Russia and countries in its influence. The intertwining of hybrid and traditional cybercrime actors is causing disruption. The European Commission is preparing to launch a new internal security policy.
