Microsoft says cyberattackers are currently benefiting from artificial intelligence faster than defenders, allowing threat actors to speed up vulnerability discovery, malware development, and post-compromise activity while security teams struggle to keep pace.

This comes from Microsoft’s 2026 Digital Defense Report, which strongly focuses on how artificial intelligence is changing both offensive and defensive cybersecurity operations.

Microsoft says AI is reducing the time, expertise, and cost required to discover and exploit weaknesses, while allowing attackers and defenders alike to operate with greater speed, scale, and autonomy.