Threat actors are already taking advantage of AI in several ways. AI is better at English than non-native speakers, can help ransomware groups find new vulnerabilities and victims, and is already employed to power botnets and can also be used to turn IoT devices into attack devices. AI can be used to identify patterns in computer systems that reveal vulnerabilities in software or security programs, allowing hackers to exploit those weaknesses. And because AI needs programming to detect new threats, attackers continually craft new mechanisms or leverage new phishing mediums such as voice and social media. Additionally, AI has been used to craft malicious emails that can bypass spam filters. Research discovered a system that used ‘generative grammar' to create a large data set of email messages. Researchers have also found it possible for AI to use a similar approach to antivirus software, finding weak spots in the software malware detection algorithm. AI can be used to support other hacking techniques, including guessing passwords and analyzing large data sets of passwords recovered from public leaks and hacks. There is also an ongoing global trend to promote misinformation with the support of AI technologies. The use of deep fake technologies for malicious purposes is expanding rapidly and is currently being exploited by cybercriminals on a global scale. In 2019, cybercriminals used AI voice-generating software to impersonate the voice of a Chief Executive of a UK-based energy company to obtain $243,000 and distribute the transfers of the funds to bank accounts located in Mexico and other countries. Further, cyberattacks based on AI systems is a growing trend identified by the European Cybercrime Centre (EC3) in a 2020 report. The EC3 stated, “through AI, criminals may facilitate and improve their attacks by maximizing their opportunities for profit in a shorter period of time and create more innovative criminal business models, while reducing the possibility of being traced and identified by criminal justice authorities”.