AI-powered attacks are outpacing global cybersecurity defenses, with 76% of organizations admitting they struggle to match the speed and sophistication of AI-driven threats, according to CrowdStrike’s 2025 State of Ransomware Survey released Tuesday. The study underscores that the next phase of cybersecurity will be determined by which side — adversaries or defenders — wields artificial intelligence more effectively.
The survey, conducted by cybersecurity leader CrowdStrike (NASDAQ: CRWD), reveals that ransomware readiness is falling behind as hackers increasingly use AI to accelerate intrusion, encryption, and extortion. Nearly 90% of organizations now view AI-powered protection as essential to defending their systems.
Organizations Struggle to Keep Pace with AI-Powered Threats
According to the report, 48% of organizations cite AI-automated attack chains as their greatest current ransomware threat, while 85% believe traditional detection methods are no longer effective against these advanced techniques. The speed of these AI-enhanced attacks is transforming how cybersecurity teams must respond.
“From malware development to social engineering, adversaries are weaponizing AI to accelerate every stage of attacks,” said Elia Zaitsev, CrowdStrike’s Chief Technology Officer. “Legacy defenses can’t match the speed or sophistication of AI-driven attacks. Time is now the currency of modern cyber defense.”
Nearly half of organizations fear they cannot detect or respond to AI-powered attacks fast enough, and less than a quarter can recover within 24 hours after an incident. Around 25% suffer major data loss or operational disruption as a result. Phishing attacks remain a key entry point, with 87% noting that AI makes social engineering lures more convincing and deepfake technology emerging as a serious concern for the future.
The report also highlighted that paying ransom does not guarantee safety. An alarming 83% of companies that paid a ransom were targeted again, and 93% still experienced data theft despite the payment.
Leadership Gaps and the Future of AI-Driven Cyber Defense
The 2025 survey exposes a critical leadership gap: 76% of respondents report a disconnect between how prepared executives think their organizations are and their actual ransomware readiness. This gap points to the need for stronger board-level engagement and modernization of cybersecurity frameworks.
In response, CrowdStrike introduced its “Agentic Security Platform,” which leverages AI-driven agents to automate key defensive actions and speed up incident response. The company says its Agentic Security Workforce empowers human analysts to stay ahead of machine-speed attacks by handling repetitive workflows and reacting in real time to emerging threats.
CrowdStrike’s Falcon® platform, built on cloud-native architecture, continues to deliver real-time threat intelligence, automated protection, and elite threat hunting capabilities. The company positions itself as leading the global race for AI superiority in cybersecurity.
As AI increasingly fuels cyber warfare, CrowdStrike’s findings make one thing clear: in the modern threat landscape, whoever masters AI first will control the pace of digital security.
FYI (keeping you in the loop)-
Q1: What are AI-powered attacks?
AI-powered attacks use machine learning and automation to speed up hacking processes such as phishing, intrusion, and encryption. They are faster and more adaptive than traditional attacks.
Q2: Why are organizations struggling against AI threats?
Most security systems were built for manual or rule-based detection, not real-time AI automation. This makes them slower to respond and easier to bypass.
Q3: What did CrowdStrike’s 2025 ransomware survey reveal?
The report found that 76% of organizations can’t keep up with AI-driven attacks and that leadership overestimates their preparedness against ransomware.
Q4: How does CrowdStrike plan to combat AI-powered attacks?
CrowdStrike’s Agentic Security Platform uses AI agents to automate defense tasks, improve detection speed, and reduce human workload.
Q5: Does paying ransom help organizations recover?
Not always. According to the survey, 83% of organizations that paid a ransom were attacked again, and 93% still had data stolen.
Reference
Business Wire. (2025). 76 Percent of Organizations Struggle to Match the Speed of AI-Powered Attacks, Finds CrowdStrike State of Ransomware Survey. October 21, 2025.
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