The European Central Bank has mandated that euro zone banks develop and submit comprehensive action plans to counter cyber threats enabled by artificial intelligence.
The directive, confirmed by multiple wire services, requires chief executives to present concrete strategies within a four-month window, marking a significant escalation in regulatory oversight of digital security infrastructure.
The ECB’s move reflects growing concern that advanced AI models can rapidly generate sophisticated phishing campaigns, deepfakes, and automated exploits that traditional defense systems may struggle to detect.
Regulators are particularly focused on protecting payment continuity and maintaining confidence in the financial system, which remains a critical pillar of the euro zone’s economic stability.
This development follows earlier warnings from the ECB that AI-enabled cyber risks pose a systemic threat to the banking sector.
The central bank has previously pressed bank executives to prioritize cybersecurity investments, but the new mandate formalizes these expectations into a binding requirement with a strict deadline.