INTERPOL: AI speeds up and scales cyber threats but doesn't reinvent them

INTERPOL's global CISO Bjorn R. Watne told CNBC that AI amplifies existing criminal tactics like scams and fraud through speed and scale rather than creating new ones. He advises companies to protect their most critical assets first, and flags agentic AI as a growing risk as systems gain the ability to act on users' behalf.

• AI boosts the speed and scale of scams, an "evolution not a revolution"
• Companies should identify and protect their "crown jewels" first
• Agentic AI poses risks of real-world, even physical, harm
• People trust technology far more than financial services, raising exposure