AI-automated phishing emails achieved 54% click-through rates compared to 12% for standard attempts

A new Microsoft security report has revealed a sharp rise in the success rate of AI-generated phishing emails, making them 4.5 times more effective than traditional phishing attempts. With cybercriminals rapidly adopting generative AI tools, phishing—already the most common attack vector—has become significantly more convincing and harder to detect.

According to Microsoft, attackers are using AI to craft highly personalized emails that mimic tone, writing style, and communication patterns with unprecedented accuracy. These messages often contain flawless grammar, contextual cues, and dynamic references that make them appear authentic to unsuspecting users. Hackers are also using AI to automate phishing at scale, sending thousands of customized emails in minutes.

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More specifically, "AI-automated phishing emails achieved 54% click-through rates compared to 12% for standard attempts" because "AI enables more targeted phishing and better phishing lures." The bulk of the data from the report is collected from Microsoft's fiscal year 2025, from July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025.

In addition, "AI automation has the potential to increase phishing profitability by up to 50 times by scaling highly targeted attacks to thousands of targets at minimal cost. This massive return on investment will incentivise cyber threat actors who aren’t yet using AI to add it to their toolbox in the future."

By - Aaradhay Sharma