Phishing in the Age of AI: UAE faces surge in sophisticated cyberattacks

Cyberattacks are escalating at an unprecedented pace, driven in large part by artificial intelligence, warned Ashwani Kumar, Key Account Manager, Sales and Strategic Accounts, at SimuPhish, during a focused session on “Phishing in the Age of AI” at the Gulf News Cyber Forum 2025.

Kumar revealed that projected global cybercrime damages in 2025 could hit $10 trillion. This is larger than the GDP of some nations. “Email phishing has surged 1,265%,” he said, citing common scams.

AI enables attackers to map victims’ online behavior, craft convincing multi-vector attacks, and exploit channels from email and WhatsApp to QR codes. Kumar shared real-world examples: job seekers, travelers, and parents of school students targeted via AI-generated messages and deepfake voices.

SimuPhish counters these threats through realistic simulations, including phishing, QR, WhatsApp, smishing, and deepfake-based training. The platforms are available  in 75 languages including Arabic, he said. UAE-based companies using the platform have reported up to 90% reductions in click rates within three months.

“Humans are the first line of defense,” Kumar stressed. “With proper AI-powered training, organisations can turn potential victims into vigilant defenders against modern cybercrime.”