Fact vs Hype: How Threat Actors Are Really Using AI Right Now
From Microsoft Threat Intelligence Podcast by Microsoft
January 28, 2026 · 42 min · Season 3 · Episode 61
About this episode
The episode discusses the realistic use of AI by threat actors and its implications for cybersecurity defenders.
In this episode of the Microsoft Threat Intelligence Podcast, host Sherrod DeGrippo is joined by security researcher Crane Hassold and Digital Defense Report lead Chloe Mesdaghi for a grounded, practitioner-led discussion on where artificial intelligence actually stands today. Moving beyond hype and fear-driven narratives, the conversation examines how AI is realistically being used by threat actors, where its impact is often overstated, and why defenders currently stand to gain the most from AI-driven tooling. The episode explores AI’s strengths in detection, triage, and workflow acceleration, the psychology and incentives that shape attacker behavior, and emerging risks such as prompt injection and AI systems becoming direct attack targets. In this episode you’ll learn: Where AI is genuinely being used in real-world cyber operations Why AI systems themselves are becoming attractive targets for attackers How AI is accelerating defensive workflows like detection engineering and threat triage Some questions we ask: What does AI do well right now, and where has it been overpromised? Does AI shift the balance of power toward defenders or attackers? Why are prompt injection and…
People in this episode
Host: Sherrod DeGrippo
Guests: Crane Hassold, Chloe Mesdaghi
Topics covered
- artificial intelligence
- cybersecurity
- threat actors
- defensive strategies
- AI risks
- detection engineering
Keywords
- AI in cybersecurity
- threat actors
- defensive workflows
- prompt injection
- detection engineering
- cyber operations
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Microsoft
More episodes of Microsoft Threat Intelligence Podcast
- Supply Chain Attacks: Open Source or Open Door? · June 3, 2026 · 39 min
- Eviltokens: A Conversation with Huntress on an AI‑Enabled Device Code Phishing Campaign · May 20, 2026 · 42 min
- Russia’s Forest Blizzard Is Abusing Home + Small Office Routers for Cred Theft · May 6, 2026 · 52 min
- The Cybercrime Shift: From Opportunistic Attacks to Marketplace-Driven Ecosystem · April 22, 2026 · 40 min
- Ransomware: From Isolated Attacks to Global Criminal Ecosystem · April 8, 2026 · 48 min
- Winter SHIELD: Closing the Security Control Gap · March 25, 2026 · 37 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Microsoft Threat Intelligence Podcast podcast page.