AI is Making it Easy for Criminals, Especially in Crypto
Criminal adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) has climbed 40% year-on-year in 2026, according to blockchain intelligence firm TRM Labs. Scams drove most of that growth.
TRM's new AI-in-Crime Adoption Index scores overall adoption at 54 out of 100, up from about 28 in 2024. Scams are the only category rated Mature.
AI Now Runs the Whole Scam, From Target List to Victim Chat
The index rates four crime types on how common AI use is, how many stages of an operation it touches, and how advanced it is.
Scams top the ranking. TRM says AI now generates target lists and lures, powers deepfakes, and runs the victim conversations themselves.
The share of scam reports in which AI was part of the attack has grown by roughly 13 times since 2022. Among crypto scams with live domains, 17% advertise AI products.
Reported deepfake scam losses in 2026 already exceed the 2025 total by 263%. Narcotics sit at the opposite end. Darknet buyers warn each other away from markets they suspect were AI-generated.
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