More than eight in ten ransomware victims believe their attackers leveraged artificial intelligence, according to a survey released Wednesday by cybersecurity firm Semperis and research consultancy Censuswide. The findings underscore how AI is reshaping the threat landscape for governments and businesses alike.
The 2026 Ransomware Risk Report polled 1,200 IT and security professionals across nine countries and eight sectors. Eighty-four percent of respondents said they believed cybercriminals had used AI "in some way" during ransomware operations. That perception aligns with growing concerns among national security officials that AI is lowering barriers for attackers and increasing the sophistication of their campaigns.
"AI is increasing not only the speed, scope, and scale of cyberattacks, but also their sophistication," Chris Inglis, former U.S. national cyber director and a Semperis strategic advisor, said in the report. "Many attacks are not perceived as being aided and abetted by AI because they're just too slick, too sophisticated."
The survey also highlighted the personal toll on victims. Forty percent of ransomware attacks involved physical and psychological threats, according to the report. About a quarter of targeted companies said their employees and family members were doxxed or had their identities exposed without consent. Another 23 percent reported being swatted, and 25 percent required medical or psychological treatment. Nearly 14 percent were forced to change jobs or office locations or move.
"An attacker has one goal in mind: They want to extract something from you. And the only way they're going to do that is to make the cost of resisting their demands greater than the cost of giving in," Inglis said in a Wednesday press release. "Holding you at physical risk is the latest phenomenon because we've covered most of the other risks."
On the defensive side, about 49 percent of victims used AI tools to detect and defend against the attack, but 23 percent said those tools failed to stop the malware. Meanwhile, 44 percent experienced attacks that exploited their own AI agents and systems, and 40 percent faced AI-based attacks directly.
The report's findings come amid a broader global crackdown on cybercrime. Just last month, a multi-nation operation rescued 117 trafficking victims from West African scam compounds, illustrating the human cost of digital exploitation. As AI tools become more accessible, experts warn that ransomware groups will only grow more brazen.
For policymakers, the survey adds pressure to address AI's dual-use nature. While defensive AI can help detect intrusions, offensive AI can automate phishing, evade detection, and personalize extortion threats. The physical threats documented in the report also raise questions about how far attackers will go to coerce victims—a trend that could have implications for weaponized enforcement tactics in other contexts.
Semperis and Censuswide conducted the survey across nine countries and eight industry sectors, though the report did not specify which nations or sectors were included. The data was made public Wednesday.
