‘Far Fewer Resources, Far Less Time:' BBAI CEO Warns AI Is Supercharging Attackers, Pitches Private Sector to Help Governments 'Outpace the Threats'

BigBear.ai Holdings Inc. (NYSE:BBAI) CEO Kevin McAleenan warned Tuesday that state and non-state actors are increasingly using generative artificial intelligence to plan and execute attacks with fewer guardrails, highlighting the growing security risks as AI adoption accelerates.

‘Mounting Evidence’ of AI-Assisted Attacks

On the company’s third-quarter earnings call, McAleenan said there was “mounting evidence” that attackers are using generative AI tools “able to plan and execute attacks with far fewer resources, far less time, and fewer guardrails.”

He said agencies responsible for protecting people are “deeply concerned about the diversity and pace of the threats,” citing drones, cybersecurity vulnerabilities and disinformation.

Sees Opportunity as AI Agent Attacks Spread

McAleenan said the trends also present a “galvanizing opportunity for the private sector to help governments and critical infrastructure operators to outpace the threats.”

The company added the FBI, U.S. Coast Guard and NASA as customers of its generative AI platform in the quarter, with demand growing across defense, intelligence and civilian agencies, including in “air-gapped environments.”

Major U.S. banks are restricting third-party AI agents over concerns the tools could act beyond users’ instructions, Axios reported last week.

Earlier this month CrowdStrike Holdings Inc. said a suspected attacker behind cyberattacks on South Korean financial institutions used Anthropic’s Claude Code, among other AI tools.

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump said in September that AI needs no guardrails beyond a “High IQ” president, and framed the technology as a race with China that the U.S. has to win.

Raises Revenue Outlook After Q3 Beat

BigBear.ai reported third-quarter revenue of $43.58 million, beating analyst estimates of $38.94 million, according to Benzinga Pro.

It reported a quarterly loss of 19 cents per share while analysts expected a loss of 5 cents.

The company raised the low end of its full-year 2026 revenue guidance, moving to a range of $150 million to $165 million from $135 million to $165 million.

Price Action: On Tuesday, shares rose 10.85% to close at $2.35 and fell 3.40% to $2.27 in overnight trading, according to Yahoo Finance.

Benzinga Edge rankings indicate BigBear.ai’s stock has a negative price trend across the short, medium, and long term.

Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

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