AI Is Supercharging Cyberattacks — Here's What Small Businesses Can Do Now

OpenAI, alongside other leading technology companies, has issued a public warning that artificial intelligence is being used to make cyberattacks faster, cheaper, and more convincing. The companies say the pace of AI-enabled threats is outstripping current defensive measures and are calling for stronger collaboration between the private sector and government to close the gap.

While the warning is aimed largely at policymakers and large enterprises, the underlying threat affects businesses of all sizes. AI tools can help attackers write more convincing phishing emails, generate malicious code faster, and automate scans for vulnerable systems — meaning small businesses can no longer assume they're too small to be targeted efficiently.

For Australian SMBs, the takeaway isn't to panic but to recognise that the barrier to launching a sophisticated-looking attack is dropping. Basic protections — like staff awareness training, multi-factor authentication, and keeping software patched — remain effective even against AI-enhanced threats, but businesses should expect more convincing scams and act accordingly.