As the year comes to a close, we can see that the key trends in artificial intelligence were focused on autonomous agents, advanced personalization, responsible AI government, and enhanced cybersecurity. However, it is essential to note that AI isn’t the “new” in cybersecurity; instead, it has been embedded within it.
That has enabled task automation and advanced threat detection, but it has also created new threats, leading to what has been described as an “AI arms race” in which both defenders and attackers rely on AI.
“In 2025, cybersecurity has evolved from isolated incidents to an all-out technological arms race between machines,” warned John Carberry, solution sleuth at cybersecurity provider Xcape, Inc.
“Rather than simply replacing existing systems, AI platforms are integrating traditional security tools into comprehensive, intelligent networks that can detect, analyze, and react at speeds far beyond human ability,” Carberry told ClearanceJobs.
What Can We Expect in 2026?
It is now impossible to predict what AI could bring in a decade or even by 2030, but for 2026 at least, we have a good idea of what to expect. AI will continue to evolve from handling basic tasks to deeper integration, with autonomous systems that actively co-create discoveries across numerous fields.
We expect to see more evolutionary than revolutionary changes in AI in the short term.
“Expect more of the same, but much faster with machine-speed warfare,” said Ted Miracco, CEO of mobile cybersecurity provider Approov.
Micracco told ClearanceJobs that for mobile apps, this will mean AI-powered botnets that can mimic human behavior so perfectly they bypass traditional bot detection.
“We are moving toward a world where the time between a new mobile vulnerability being discovered and it being weaponized by AI is measured in minutes, not days or weeks,” Micracco added.
AI-based platforms and systems may also replace traditional cybersecurity systems in the New Year, and continue to do so.
“Traditional, static security like code obfuscation in mobile apps or signature-based antivirus and basic Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) are effectively useless against AI threats,” warned Micracco. “They cannot keep up with the polymorphic malware that changes its code every time it’s scanned. For 2026, your security should both use AI to help fight AI, and your mobile defenses must be dynamic and can support over-the-air (OTA) updates.”
Defenses Will Need to Evolve
Traditional cyberattacks will continue, but could become increasingly “aggressive.” Ransomware could become even more insidious, and recent reports warn that the speed of compromise could increase dramatically as a result.
“Defenses are shifting from basic rule-based methods to proactive, self-repairing frameworks focused on ensuring organizational resilience instead of just prevention,” Carberry added.
He further told ClearanceJobs that attackers are likely to leverage generative AI to enhance phishing campaigns, automate the creation of ever-changing malware, and even compromise the AI systems we have come to depend on.
“As these autonomous attacks become standard, cybersecurity professionals are transitioning from hands-on responders to strategic leaders overseeing AI management and governance,” Carberry continued.
2026 could also see a wave of AI-powered emerging threats.
“AI scripts that scrape a user’s social data to create deepfake voice notes or ‘smishing’ (SMS phishing) messages are now virtually indistinguishable from a real contact,” said Micracco. “On the technical side, Mobile API exploitation is the new frontier. Attackers are using AI to reverse-engineer mobile apps in seconds, extracting hard-coded secrets and API keys that give them a direct back door into corporate databases.”
In 2026, even with significant technological advances, current threats will persist. Humans will still be the weakest link in any security program. But the new danger may be that AI is seen as a miracle solution that can provide robust security.
“The greatest new danger is hubris: organizations may rely too heavily on AI and neglect essential practices, expertise, and zero-trust security. Those that thrive will view AI as a powerful tool, thoughtfully integrated into a robust and layered security strategy,” explained Carberry. “In this new era, the winner won’t be the one with the best firewall, but the one with the smartest algorithms.”
