The AI era is making your old privacy habits obsolete. Here’s what to update now.

If you’ve been relying on the same privacy settings and passwords for the past few years, you’re not alone. But the threat landscape has shifted. Artificial intelligence is now routinely used by cybercriminals to automate attacks, create convincing deepfakes, and bypass outdated defenses. The World Economic Forum’s Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2026 lists AI acceleration as a key risk, and the evidence is mounting that old privacy habits no longer cut it.

The good news is that a few targeted updates to your tools and routines can significantly reduce your exposure. In this guide, we’ll cover how to update data privacy tools to cut cybersecurity risk in the AI era, with concrete steps you can take today.

What happened

AI has supercharged existing cyber threats. Phishing emails no longer rely on poor grammar; large language models now generate convincing messages tailored to the recipient. Deepfake audio and video are used to impersonate colleagues, family members, or customer support agents. Credential stuffing—automated login attempts using leaked passwords—has become faster and more effective because AI can parse and test credential lists at scale. Meanwhile, data poisoning and adversarial inputs can corrupt machine learning models that websites and apps use to detect fraud.

These changes make it harder to rely on conventional security practices. A strong password alone won’t protect you if a deepfake phone call convinces your bank’s automated system to approve a transfer.

Why it matters

The consequences aren’t theoretical. According to the WEF report, more than half of cyber leaders surveyed believe AI-driven attacks will become a top threat within two years. For everyday users, this means an increased risk of identity theft, financial fraud, and account takeovers. Even if you don’t use advanced AI tools, attackers will use them against you.

The good news: the same tools that protect your privacy can be adapted. But many default settings and old habits leave you vulnerable because they weren’t designed for AI-powered threats.

What you can do

Below are actionable updates for six key areas. You don’t need to do everything at once—pick the ones that address your biggest risk.

1. Upgrade your password manager with passkeys

Most password managers now support passkeys, which are cryptographic credentials that replace passwords entirely. Passkeys are tied to your device and biometric authentication, so they can’t be phished or stolen in a data breach. If your manager doesn’t support passkeys, consider switching to one that does. You can also enable breach monitoring features that alert you if your credentials appear in a known dump—a feature most major managers now offer.

2. Harden your browser against tracking and fingerprinting

AI tools can correlate browsing data across sites to build a detailed profile of your behavior. Update your browser to block third-party cookies by default (most modern browsers do this now), and enable anti-fingerprinting protection. In Firefox, this is called “resist fingerprinting” in the privacy settings; in Brave it’s enabled by default. For Chrome, consider using extensions like uBlock Origin and Privacy Badger to supplement Google’s built-in protections.

3. Review settings on AI assistants and apps

Many voice assistants, chatbots, and productivity tools store your conversations to train their models. In 2025 and 2026, several major providers updated their privacy policies to allow opt-out from training data. Check the settings of any AI tool you use—like ChatGPT, Google Assistant, or Copilot—and turn off “improve the model with my data” if available. Also revoke microphone and screen recording permissions when not actively using the assistant.

4. Strengthen two-factor authentication (2FA)

SMS-based 2FA is increasingly vulnerable to SIM swapping and phishing. Switch to an authenticator app (like Google Authenticator, Authy, or Microsoft Authenticator) or, ideally, a hardware security key such as a YubiKey. Hardware keys are resistant to phishing because they only work with the specific site they were registered for. Many services now support passkeys (as mentioned above), which serve the same purpose.

5. Audit app permissions and connected accounts

AI can scrape data from third-party apps that have access to your primary accounts. Open your Google, Apple, or Microsoft account settings and review which apps have permissions. Revoke any that you don’t recognize or no longer use. Do the same for social media accounts and any “sign in with” connections. Attackers often target inactive connections to gain initial access.

6. Use a VPN selectively

A VPN isn’t a blanket security tool, but it helps when you’re on public Wi‑Fi or want to hide your IP address from data brokers and AI-driven trackers. Use it for sensitive transactions (banking, email, health portals) rather than all traffic, since VPN providers themselves can become targets. Avoid free VPNs—they often monetize user data. Choose a paid service with a no‑logs policy that has been independently audited.

Sources

  • World Economic Forum, Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2026 (January 2026). Highlights AI acceleration as a top risk and calls for updated privacy practices.
  • Industrial Cyber, “WEF Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2026 flags AI acceleration…” (January 13, 2026).
  • Various industry reports on AI-powered phishing and deepfake threats (2024–2026).

Privacy isn’t a set-and-forget task. As AI evolves, so should your defenses. Start with one or two updates from this list—even small changes can make a meaningful difference.