Google says it has disrupted a criminal group’s attempt to use artificial intelligence to exploit a previously unknown digital vulnerability at a company. The company states the hackers were targeting an unpatched weakness, and that Google’s intervention prevented the exploitation attempt from proceeding. Google frames the incident as part of a broader pattern of rising concerns about how AI can be used to support cybercrime, including by helping attackers identify, test, or leverage vulnerabilities more effectively. The reports also note that the episode is occurring amid heightened attention from both government and private organizations on AI-related cybersecurity risks. While Google does not describe detailed technical specifics in the provided summaries, it emphasizes that the vulnerability was “previously unknown” and that the attempt involved AI. Multiple outlets echo Google’s account that the disruption took place before the criminal group could carry out the exploitation, underscoring the ongoing race between defenders and attackers as AI capabilities increasingly enter cybersecurity and cybercrime workflows.