
The Rising Threat of AI-Powered Deepfake Attacks
New research from Gartner reveals a dramatic escalation in deepfake attacks targeting organizations worldwide. According to a comprehensive survey of 302 cybersecurity leaders, 62% of organizations experienced at least one deepfake attack in the past year, with 43% reporting audio call incidents and 37% encountering deepfakes in video communications.
AI Accelerates Disinformation Campaigns
Artificial intelligence is fundamentally transforming the threat landscape, enabling adversaries to create sophisticated deepfake content that can bypass traditional security measures. Gartner predicts that by 2027, AI agents will halve the time needed to exploit account takeovers, giving organizations significantly less time to respond to emerging threats.
"AI-driven disinformation campaigns and deepfakes are increasingly used by adversaries to access sensitive data, disrupt operations, manipulate public opinion and pursue financial or political gain," explains Apeksha Kaushik, Principal Analyst at Gartner.
Business and Leadership Risks
The consequences of ignoring deepfake threats extend beyond technical breaches. Organizations face severe reputational damage, erosion of stakeholder trust, and increased regulatory scrutiny. Publicly accessible assets such as social media accounts, executive photos, and corporate logos have become prime targets for impersonation attacks.
Emerging Defense Strategies
Gartner forecasts that by 2027, 50% of enterprises will invest in disinformation security products and TrustOps strategies, up from less than 5% today. The emerging field of narrative intelligence represents a proactive approach to combating AI-generated disinformation by identifying and countering threats before they cause operational or reputational harm.
Traditional threat intelligence and digital risk protection services are being augmented by narrative intelligence capabilities that understand how and why disinformation spreads, providing organizations with a strategic advantage in the evolving cybersecurity landscape.