Publication Date: 21.11.2025
Author: Mark Fehr
Source: FAZ.net
Publication Date: 21.11.2025
Summary Reading Time: 3 minutes
Executive Summary
Artificial intelligence is not only revolutionizing legitimate business processes, but also providing cybercriminals with dramatically expanded opportunities for sophisticated fraud operations. Unlike Wirecard, where elaborate physical staging was still necessary, attackers today can use AI-generated deepfakes and automated tools to create convincingly authentic business documents, video conferences, or identities in a cost-effective and scalable manner. This presents companies and authorities with costly defense challenges, while the regulatory landscape significantly lags behind this technological disruption.
Critical Key Questions
- How can markets function when the cost of deception approaches zero while verification becomes exponentially more expensive?
- What responsibility do AI developers and tech corporations bear for the criminal use of their technologies – and where does innovation end and complicity begin?
- Does the AI-induced erosion of trust in digital communication endanger the long-term foundations of an open, networked society?
Scenario Analysis: Future Perspectives
Short-term (1 year):
First wave of AI-assisted CEO fraud cases and fake business video conferences reaches critical mass. Cyber risk insurance premiums rise by 20-30%. Emergency compliance measures are implemented.
Medium-term (5 years):
Two-tier economy emerges: Large corporations invest massively in AI detection tools and zero-trust architectures, while SMEs are systematically disadvantaged. First AI authentication standards establish themselves but create new dependencies.
Long-term (10-20 years):
Fundamental paradigm shift toward cryptographically verifiable communication. Societal loss of trust forces decentralized identity and verification systems. Possible balkanization of the internet according to trust zones.
Main Summary
Core Theme & Context
The FAZ commentary illustrates how artificial intelligence is democratizing cybercrime: What previously required elaborate, costly fraud operations (as in the Wirecard case) becomes cost-effectively automatable through AI tools. The technology shifts the cost-benefit ratio drastically in favor of attackers.
Key Facts & Figures
- Wirecard comparison: Fraudsters still needed physical infrastructure, extras, and hard drives for data falsification
- AI revolution: Automation makes complex fraud scenarios scalable and cost-efficient
- Asymmetric threat: Attacks become cheaper, defense becomes more expensive for companies
- [⚠️ To be verified] Concrete damage figures or case studies are not mentioned in the available text excerpt
Stakeholders & Those Affected
- Companies of all sizes: New investments in cyber defense required
- Auditors and compliance departments: Traditional verification methods become obsolete
- Authorities and regulators: Legal framework lags behind technological development
- Tech industry: Responsibility for the dual-use character of their AI technologies
Opportunities & Risks
Risks:
- Trust erosion in digital business processes and communication
- Small and medium enterprises cannot afford cost-intensive defense technologies
- Regulatory backlog creates legal gray areas for criminals
Opportunities:
- Innovation in cyber security and authentication technologies
- Market opportunities for specialized AI detection services
- Transparency standards could establish themselves as competitive advantages
Action Relevance
Immediate measures: Companies should implement multi-factor authentication and zero-trust principles. Awareness training for employees about AI-based attacks is critical. Regulators must develop agile governance models that can keep pace with technological development.
Quality Assurance & Fact-Checking
⚠️ Limited text scope: The available article excerpt is incomplete. The analysis is based on the Wirecard comparison and the basic statements about AI-based cyber attacks. Complete factual basis requires access to the full FAZ+ article.
Supplementary Research
Relevant context sources:
- BSI Cyber Security Report 2024 – Current threat situation in Germany
- European AI Regulation (AI Act) – Regulatory framework for AI risks
- Cybersecurity Ventures Global Report – Damage estimates for AI-based attacks
Bibliography
Primary source:
Mit KI wird betrügen so leicht wie nie – FAZ.net
Verification status: ⚠️ Partially verified – Complete analysis requires access to the full article text