A recent survey by Gartner has identified AI-enhanced malicious attacks as a significant emerging risk for enterprises in Q1 2024. The survey involved 345 senior enterprise risk executives, benchmarking their top 20 emerging risks. AI-related risks captured the top two rankings in the survey, with AI-assisted misinformation also causing concern.

"The prospect of malicious actions enabled by AI-assisted tools is concerning risk leaders worldwide," says Gamika Takkar, director, research in the Gartner Risk & Audit Practice. The rapid expansion of access to AI capabilities can provide malicious code and facilitate phishing and social engineering, posing significant threats to organisations.

Political polarisation, which entered the tracker for the first time in 4Q23, dropped from the second most cited concern to third place. The potential impacts of AI-enhanced attacks and misinformation include damage to reputation, productivity, and the ability of organisations to respond. Increased breaches and disclosure requirements can erode trust in an organisation and brand among clients, consumers, and partners.

"The relative ease of use and quality of AI-assisted tools, such as voice and image generation, increase the ability to carry out malicious attacks with wide-ranging consequences," Takkar adds. "Its low cost and rapid growth also expose users to the technology who have little awareness on how to recognise when AI-enabled tools are providing valid vs. false or misrepresented information."

"The speed and quality of AI-enhanced attacks and misinformation also hinder information security teams' ability to respond and adapt to the new security landscape, further amplifying its vulnerabilities," Takkar concludes. The findings underscore the need for businesses to stay vigilant and adapt their security measures to the evolving threat landscape.