Powerful new AI models are behind a growing wave of cyber attacks, experts say

Conceptual image of a continuous row of identical humanoid robots featuring glossy black reflective helmets and white-silver body panels seated at a pale pink desk operating multiple open laptops filled with programming code lines, set against a solid vibrant orange gradient backdrop with soft warm lighting. (Credit: DigitalVision via Getty Images)

Starting on Sept. 25, a hacker set loose an army of AI agents that attempted to break into over 1,200 websites over the next few weeks—autonomously, with no additional work required of the human hacker after sending them off on their task.

The agents successfully breached about 100 companies, including farm equipment maker Deere, home appliance ​company SharkNinja, and engine manufacturer Cummins, according to Reuters, which first reported the incident, discovered by cybersecurity researchers.

While the hacker didn’t need to execute the attack themselves, they had to foot the bill for the AI tools. It cost about $5,000 worth of tokens from a combination of DeepSeek and Anthropic’s Claude Code models, researchers told Reuters. That’s roughly $50 per successful breach.