How Artificial Intelligence Is Reshaping Organized Crime in 2026

Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming the landscape of organized crime, forcing governments and law-enforcement agencies into a technological race with criminal networks. As AI tools become cheaper, faster, and easier to use, both sides are leveraging automation to gain strategic advantage—often with profound consequences.

One of the most immediate shifts is visible in cybercrime. Large language models have lowered the technical barrier for developing malware, allowing even inexperienced users to generate functional code through iterative prompting. Skilled hackers, meanwhile, are using AI to identify security vulnerabilities faster and at greater scale. According to researchers at Anthropic, one recent AI-driven cyberspying operation showed signs of operating with minimal human oversight—an indication of what may soon become common.

Traditional criminal schemes are also being enhanced by AI. Criminal groups in Latin America have already used voice-cloning technology for extortion, impersonating kidnapping victims to pressure families into paying ransoms. More recently, AI-generated facial replicas have been deployed to bypass biometric security systems, raising alarms about the future reliability of identity verification used by banks and governments.

AI has further amplified the threat posed by drones. Once limited to surveillance or smuggling, drones equipped with computer vision and autonomous navigation are now being adapted for attacks. A report by EUROPOL warned that affordable, AI-enabled drones resistant to electronic interference could be repurposed for criminal or terrorist use. Criminal organizations have already combined drones with surveillance tactics to monitor rivals and intimidate communities.

Governments, however, are not standing still. AI-driven scanners and analytics tools are being introduced to detect illicit shipments, map criminal networks, and identify corruption. In Latin America, several states are experimenting with AI to combat illegal mining, contraband, and trafficking. Speaking at a global forum, António Guterres noted that while AI can accelerate corruption, it also holds potential to expose and prevent it.

Yet experts caution that the cure may be as dangerous as the disease. Facial-recognition systems have already led to wrongful arrests, disproportionately affecting people with darker skin tones. In Ecuador, concerns have emerged over surveillance systems developed with Palantir, raising fears about privacy erosion and unaccountable state monitoring.

As AI spreads across criminal and security domains, analysts warn that tools introduced in the name of safety could outpace democratic oversight—turning crime-fighting technologies into instruments of abuse rather than protection.