Interpol: AI Is Now a Core Driver of Cybercrime Across Africa

Interpol says AI is involved in 55 percent of reported cybercrimes in Africa, marking a shift from AI as a useful criminal tool to what the agency calls the “core operational driver of cybercrime in Africa.” The report points to 2025 as the turning point. For readers, the key takeaway is that AI-enabled attacks are no longer a niche risk; they are becoming part of the standard cybercrime playbook.

Financial losses more than doubled since 2024, rising from $192 million to $484 million, according to the report. Interpol also recorded about 600,000 cases of digital extortion involving deepfakes. The practical warning is clear: organizations and individuals should treat synthetic media, identity fraud, and AI-assisted scams as active security risks, not future concerns.

The report says criminals now use AI at every stage of a cyberattack, including phishing, extortion, and the creation of synthetic identities that can bypass biometric systems. Neal Jetton, head of Interpol’s cybercrime unit, said AI is “automating every stage of a cyberattack from reconnaissance and phishing to extortion and evasion.” That means defenses need to cover both technical systems and human-facing attack points, especially phishing and identity verification workflows.

The analysis draws on data from 36 African countries. The report also notes enforcement wins: four Interpol-coordinated operations in 2025 and 2026 led to more than 1,500 arrests and the seizure of over $100 million. The broader implication is that coordinated enforcement can disrupt cybercrime networks, but the speed and automation enabled by AI raise the pressure on prevention, detection, and cross-border cooperation.