Experian has released its 2026 Data Breach Industry Forecast, laying out how the cyber threat picture keeps getting sharper, faster, and harder to predict.
The credit reporting and fraud prevention firm points to artificial intelligence as the accelerant, with attackers adopting it early and aggressively.
The report suggests 2026 could bring a wave of more advanced attacks, driven by AI tools, emerging quantum computing risks, and weak points in new technologies that security teams still struggle to map. This is the 13th edition of Experian’s forecast, and the tone feels less speculative than before.
Six trends anchor the outlook. They track how cybercriminals use new technology to create convincing fake identities, avoid detection, and exploit fresh digital territory.
Synthetic identities sit near the top of the list. So do self-directed AI agents that operate with little human input, adaptive malware, and even security gaps tied to brain-computer interfaces.
Taken together, the picture is uncomfortable. Attacks look more personal, more persistent, and more technical, sometimes all at once.
According to Beinsure report, that combination raises both breach frequency and recovery costs, even when individual incidents look smaller on the surface.
“Technology is evolving at breakneck speed, and cybercriminals are often the first to adopt tools like AI to outpace defences and exploit vulnerabilities,” said Michael Bruemmer, vice president of global data breach resolution at Experian.
He said companies can use the same tools to improve defences, but preparation has to include incident response, not just prevention.
Bruemmer described the fight as uneven. Organisations can strengthen controls with the right technology choices, he said, yet they also need plans for what happens after an attack, because fallout remains inevitable.
Recent data underlines the pressure. In the first half of 2025, more than 8,000 data breaches were reported worldwide, exposing about 345 mn records.
Among Experian clients, the US, UK, and Canada took the hardest hits.
Jim Steven, head of crisis and data response services at Experian Global Data Breach Resolution in the UK, framed the shift in blunt terms.
He said cyberattacks are moving beyond data theft into territory where reality itself gets manipulated. Speed and deception matter more than volume now.
Consumer research backs that up. Surveys in the US and UK show rising anxiety about AI-shaped attacks.
Younger users appear more vulnerable to scams, and many breach victims say support from affected organisations falls short. Trust in corporate cyber defences remains thin.
In the US, one in four millennial adults said they experienced identity theft in the past year. Nearly a quarter reported phishing incidents. More than 80% worry about AI-generated identities that look indistinguishable from real people.
Concern spreads into the workplace. Over one-third of US adults fear personal liability for cybersecurity mistakes on the job.
69% say they are doubtful or unsure that their bank or retailer can handle AI-driven attacks. Roughly 76% expect cybercrime to keep rising as AI tools spread.
The UK data tells a similar story. About 25% of millennial adults reported identity theft in the past year. One in three worry about damage to their professional reputation from cyber errors.
More than 60% of people affected by breaches said organisations didn’t give enough support afterward.
Experian’s message isn’t subtle. Attackers are moving first, learning faster, and using smarter tools. Defenders still have options, but the gap won’t close on its own.
