Overview

• Europol's 2025 report reveals that artificial intelligence is enabling organized crime networks to automate and expand operations globally, making them harder to detect and disrupt.
• Criminals are using generative AI to create child sexual abuse material, including manipulated images, and leveraging cryptocurrency to launder money and evade asset tracking.
• The report highlights the potential emergence of fully autonomous AI-controlled criminal networks, which could revolutionize the scale and complexity of organized crime.
• Quantum computing advancements may soon allow criminals to breach encryption systems, posing a significant challenge to law enforcement and security frameworks.
• Europol calls for urgent, coordinated action by policymakers and law enforcement to address these escalating threats, framing the issue as a critical priority for European security.