AI is reportedly 'democratising' cybercrime by making it easy for bad guys with limited tech skills to have a crack at ransomware and other malicious code

Malware.

"I'm here to help you out with that!" So, says the WORMGPT chatbot in the breezy, impossibly upbeat tone that's become characteristic of current AI models. Except, that's in response to a request to generate ransomware.

It all sounds a bit like a dystopian respin of the cheerful, sentient doors in the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. But hold that thought, while we dig into the details.