June 2026 Sees 1,500 High-Severity CVEs, 3.5x Increase Due to AI Bug-Hunting

In June 2026, 21 organizations reported approximately 1,500 high-severity and critical Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVEs), marking a 3.5 times increase compared to the previous monthly record. Epoch AI attributes this surge to the launch of AI-powered bug-hunting programs, indicating a direct correlation between AI deployment and the identification of security vulnerabilities. This trend highlights the growing role of AI in cybersecurity, providing practitioners with both new tools and challenges as they navigate an increased volume of reported vulnerabilities. For context, this follows a broader trend in the industry where AI’s capabilities are being leveraged to enhance security measures, as noted in previous reports. More details can be found in The Decoder.