U.S. breach costs rise to $10.22 million, despite the global average cost of a breach decreasing to $4.44 million; Only 49% of breached organizations plan to invest in security

ARMONK, N.Y., July 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — IBM (NYSE: IBM) today released its Cost of a Data Breach Report, which revealed AI adoption is greatly outpacing AI security and governance. While the overall number of organizations experiencing an AI-related breach is a small representation of the researched population, this is the first time security, governance and access controls for AI have been studied in this report, which suggests AI is already an easy, high value target.

• 13% of organizations reported breaches of AI models or applications, while 8% of organizations reported not knowing if they had been compromised in this way.
• Of those compromised, 97% report not having AI access controls in place.
• As a result, 60% of the AI-related security incidents led to compromised data and 31% led to operational disruption.

This year’s results show that organizations are bypassing security and governance for AI in favor of do-it-now AI adoption. Ungoverned systems are more likely to be breached—and more costly when they are.

“The data shows that a gap between AI adoption and oversight already exists, and threat actors are starting to exploit it,” said Suja Viswesan, Vice President, Security and Runtime Products, IBM. “The report revealed a lack of basic access controls for AI systems, leaving highly sensitive data exposed, and models vulnerable to manipulation. As AI becomes more deeply embedded across business operations, AI security must be treated as foundational. The cost of inaction isn’t just financial, it’s the loss of trust, transparency and control.”

However, the report did reveal that organizations using AI and automation extensively throughout their security operations saved an average $1.9 million in breach costs and reduced the breach lifecycle by an average of 80 days.

The 2025 report, conducted by Ponemon Institute, sponsored and analyzed by IBM, is based on data breaches experienced by 600 organizations globally from March 2024 through February 2025. Key findings from the report around AI security and breaches, the financial cost of a breach, and operational disruption are as follows:

Breaches and the AI era

• AI Governance Policies. 63% of breached organizations either don’t have an AI governance policy or are still developing a policy. Of the organizations that have AI governance policies in place, only 34% perform regular audits for unsanctioned AI.
• The Cost of Shadow AI. One in five organizations reported a breach due to shadow AI, and only 37% have policies to manage AI or detect shadow AI. Organizations that used high levels of shadow AI observed an average of $670,000 in higher breach costs than those with a low level or no shadow AI. Security incidents involving shadow AI led to more personally identifiable information (65%) and intellectual property (40%) being compromised compared to the global average (53% and 33% respectively).
• Smarter Attacks with AI. 16% of breaches studied involved attackers using AI tools, most often for phishing or deepfake impersonation attacks.

The Financial Cost of a Breach

• Data Breach Costs. The global average cost of a data breach fell to $4.44 million, the first decline in five years, while the average U.S. cost of a breach reached a record $10.22 million.
• Global Breach Lifecycles Hit Record Low. The global average breach lifecycle (the mean time to identify and contain a breach, including restore services) dropped to 241 days, a 17-day reduction from the year prior, as more studied organizations detected the breach internally. Those organizations who detected the breach internally also observed a $900,000 savings on breach costs compared to those disclosed by an attacker.
• Healthcare Breaches Remain the Costliest. Averaging $7.42 million, healthcare breaches remained the most expensive across all studied industries, even as this sector saw a $2.35 million reduction in costs compared to 2024. Breaches across this sector take the longest to identify and contain at 279 days, that’s more than 5 weeks longer than the global average of 241 days.
• Ransom Payment Fatigue. Last year, organizations pushed back against ransom demands, with more opting not to pay (63%) compared to the year prior (59%). As more organizations refuse to pay ransoms, the average cost of an extortion or ransomware incident remains high, particularly when disclosed by an attacker ($5.08 million).
• Security Investments Stall Amid Rising AI Risks. There was a significant reduction in the number of organizations that said they plan to invest in security following a breach, 49% in 2025 compared to 63% in 2024. Less than half of those that plan to invest in security post-breach will focus on AI-driven security solutions or services.

The Long Tail of a Breach: Operational Disruption

According to the 2025 IBM report, nearly all organizations studied suffered operational disruption following a data breach. This level of disruption is taking a toll on recovery timelines. Among organizations that reported recovery, most took more than 100 days on average to do so.

However, the consequences of a breach continue to extend beyond containment. While down compared to the year prior, nearly half of all organizations reported that they planned to raise the price of goods or services because of the breach, and nearly one-third reported price increases of 15% or more.

About the Cost of a Data Breach Report

The Cost of a Data Breach Report has investigated nearly 6,500 data breaches over the past 20 years. Since the inaugural report in 2005, the nature of breaches has evolved dramatically. Back then, risk was largely physical. Today, the threat landscape is overwhelmingly digital and increasingly targeted, with breaches now driven by a spectrum of malicious activity.

With the pace of enterprise AI adoption proliferating, for the first time, the Cost of a Data Breach research studied the state of security and governance for AI, the type of data targeted in security incidents involving AI, breach costs associated with AI-driven attacks, and the prevalence and risk profile of shadow AI (unregulated, unauthorized use of AI). Historical findings from past reports include the following:

• 2005: nearly half (45%) of all data breaches were caused by lost or stolen computing devices, such as a laptop or thumb drive, and only 10% of breaches were due to hacked electronic systems.
• 2015: breaches due to cloud misconfiguration weren’t even a categorized threat, today they are a leading target.
• 2020: ransomware began to surge, and by 2021 it accounted for an average of $4.62 million in breach costs, and this year that number reached an average of $5.08 million (when the incident was disclosed by an attacker).
• 2025: AI, which was included for the first time in the research this year, is quickly emerging as a high value target.

Additional sources:

• Download a copy of the 2025 Cost of a Data Breach Report to learn more.
• Sign up for the 2025 IBM Cost of a Data Breach webinar on Wednesday, August 13, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. ET.
• Read more about the report’s top findings in this IBM blog.

About IBM
IBM is a leading provider of global hybrid cloud and AI, and consulting expertise. We help clients in more than 175 countries capitalize on insights from their data, streamline business processes, reduce costs, and gain a competitive edge in their industries. Thousands of governments and corporate entities in critical infrastructure areas such as financial services, telecommunications and healthcare rely on IBM’s hybrid cloud platform and Red Hat OpenShift to affect their digital transformations quickly, efficiently, and securely. IBM’s breakthrough innovations in AI, quantum computing, industry-specific cloud solutions and consulting deliver open and flexible options to our clients. All of this is backed by IBM’s long-standing commitment to trust, transparency, responsibility, inclusivity, and service. Visit www.ibm.com for more information.

Media contact:

IBM
Michele Brancati
mbrancati@ibm.com

IBM Corporation logo.

DUBAI, UAE, July 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Bybit, the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, has released a new Smart Money Report. The analysis focuses on institutions’ and influential traders’ digital asset allocation and trading strategies, often ahead of the curve, to unlock insights on wider narratives that move markets.

Equipped with professional analysts and solutions, institutional and leading crypto investors decisions come to be known as smart money moves. Based on their holding and trading data, ETH had become an institutional crowd favorite while SOL might be reversing its course of underperformance in the current rally. The emerging theme of real-world asset (RWA) has come to dominate the DeFi narratives, prompting assets like ONDO onto a bullish track.

Key Insights

• Smart money holds onto ETH, BTC and select altcoins: the report highlights portfolios balances of ETH, BTC, ONDO, UNI, and WLD, citing the main drivers behind each asset. The diverse holdings reflect a wide array of considerations for professional and institutional investors from DeFi trends to regulatory tailwinds.
• Top movements by the pros – trading highlights: Whales are piling up on ETH as SOL-related derivatives are on the rise. Key movements indicated institutional interest in a range of altcoins while AVAX suffered downward pressure.
• Stablecoin balances across exchanges trending down: Major cryptocurrency exchanges are recording decreasing levels of stablecoin reserves, collectively at a 3-month low. This is interpreted as risk-on sentiment as investors were deploying funds and entering active trading mode.

#Bybit / #TheCryptoArk / #BybitReport

About Bybit

Bybit is the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, serving a global community of over 70 million users. Founded in 2018, Bybit is redefining openness in the decentralized world by creating a simpler, open and equal ecosystem for everyone. With a strong focus on Web3, Bybit partners strategically with leading blockchain protocols to provide robust infrastructure and drive on-chain innovation. Renowned for its secure custody, diverse marketplaces, intuitive user experience, and advanced blockchain tools, Bybit bridges the gap between TradFi and DeFi, empowering builders, creators, and enthusiasts to unlock the full potential of Web3. Discover the future of decentralized finance at Bybit.com.

For more details about Bybit, please visit Bybit Press 

For media inquiries, please contact: media@bybit.com

For updates, please follow: Bybit’s Communities and Social Media

Discord | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | Reddit | Telegram | TikTok | X | Youtube

SHENZHEN, China, July 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — DeepRoute.ai, a pioneer in autonomous driving technology, has earned top recognition in IDC’s latest Assisted Driving Capability Assessment 2025.^[1] The report underscores how autonomous driving has become a leading purchase decision factor for car buyers and marks DeepRoute.ai as a technology leader in this rapidly evolving field.

IDC evaluated mass-production autonomous driving systems across six dimensions: highway and urban Navigation on Autopilot (NOA), highway and urban lane centering control (LCC), valet parking assist, and automatic parking assist.

DeepRoute.ai earned top scores in urban NOA, urban LCC, and highway LCC, showcasing exceptional capabilities in complex real-world scenarios. The report highlights DeepRoute.ai’s strength in handling challenging multi-traffic participant city environments and mixed traffic flows.

As the industry approaches the performance limits of Level 2 (L2) systems, IDC predicts rapid acceleration toward Level 3 autonomy. DeepRoute.ai is accelerating the pace of innovation across the industry with the upcoming launch of its VLA (Vision-Language-Action) model-a next-generation technology designed to enhance safety and human-like control.

The VLA model delivers key breakthroughs from three perspectives:

• Scenario understanding: Improved long-tail scenario coverage, with stronger capabilities in blind-spot prediction, dynamic traffic interpretation, and recognition of complex text-based guidance signs, which are the key challenges in real-world driving environments.
• Reasoning capabilities: The ‘chain-of-thought’ enables human-like reasoning and long context understanding, allowing the system to perform deeper and more forward-looking inference compared to previous end-to-end models. The system also provides decision-making explanations, offering transparency that enhances user trust and confidence in automated driving.
• User interactions: Human drivers can interact with the system through natural language, enabling real-time adjustments to vehicle decisions and offering greater control over the driving process.

These innovations position DeepRoute.ai as a frontrunner in advancing explainable, interactive, and human-like autonomous driving, driving mainstream adoption of higher-level autonomous driving.

About DeepRoute.ai

DeepRoute.ai is an artificial intelligence company dedicated to the research, development, and application of smart driving solutions. Being the first to develop production-ready smart driving solutions and a pioneer in deploying end-to-end and VLA models on mass-produced passenger vehicles, DeepRoute.ai aims to create artificial general intelligence in physical world.

For more information, visit deeproute.ai, follow DeepRoute.ai on LinkedIn, and X, and subscribe to DeepRoute.ai on YouTube.

Contact: press@deeproute.ai 

XI’AN, China, July 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — In recent years, global climate change has led to frequent extreme weather events. Meteorological disasters such as hail have become significant threats to the safety of solar plants and the stable income of customers. Middle and low latitudes of the northern and southern hemispheres, including Colorado and Texas (USA), Northern Italy, Southern France, Southern China, as well as Central Argentina and Southeastern Australia in the Southern Hemisphere.

Confronting this “plant safety killer,” LONGi leverages its profound technological expertise to develop the Hi-MO 9 Ice-Shield module—a global solution engineered to withstand extreme hailstorms. Through material innovation and structural upgrades, this product achieves breakthroughs in both “hail resistance”and “power generation performance”, establishing an impenetrable defense for PV plant safety and returns.

Extreme Hail Resistance: Industrial-Grade Robustness Tested Against Harsh Climates 

LONGi Hi-MO 9 Ice-Shield module features a comprehensively thickened double-glass structure. Its front glass is 60% thicker than conventional products and undergoes full tempering, boosting impact resistance by 4.5 times. For instance, during severe hailstorms, the tempered glass remains as sturdy as a steel plate, while standard module glass may be brittle like paper. The frame utilizes high-strength 6005-T6 aluminum alloy with optimized linear density, significantly enhancing wind load resistance. When associated with a high-load mounting solution, the module withstands loads of +5400/-5400 Pa. 

In addition, the module has been tested many times and can successfully resist the impact of hail with a diameter of 55 mm and a speed of 33.9m/s, far exceeding the test requirements of IEC standards for 25mm hail. Post-test inspections show no glass cracks or micro-cracks.

High-Efficiency Power Generation: Stable Output Under Extreme Environmental impacts

Built with this robust foundation, the Hi-MO 9 Ice-Shield module integrates LONGi’s proprietary HPBC 2.0 technology, achieving a conversion efficiency of up to 24.8% for outstanding overall power generation. Upgraded with high-load materials to further ensure reliable high performance in harsh environments. 

For example, in a 100MW TOPCon plant, the same land area with Hi-MO 9 modules can support 106.4MW capacity. Even in regions with moderate sunlight (assuming an electricity price of 5 cents/kWh), this translates to over $6.5 million in additional lifetime revenue.

Benefiting from BC technology’s unique hot-spot resistance and LONGi’s stringent lifecycle quality control, the Hi-MO 9 delivers higher reliability and lower failure rates at the plant level, making it a trustworthy choice for global customers.

Internationally Certified Reliability

The LONGi Ice-Shield series modules have been certified by international authorities including RETC, TÜV Rheinland, and TÜV SÜD. It has topped RETC’s High Durability Test (HDT) rankings for years and years. In RETC’s “2025 PV Module Index Report”, LONGi modules received the “Highest Achievement” award across all 13 core tests—including hail sequence validation. These endorsements provide authoritative proof of the series’ reliability in extreme environments, ensuring continuous, stable power generation even amidst hailstorms accompanied by lightning and gales.

Cumulative global orders for LONGi Ice-Shield modules have now exceeded 1GW. Including but not limited to large-scale utility plants in the US Midwest, projects in Australia, Europe. LONGi BC products are building a solid line of defense for photovoltaic power plants in many places around the world, and Hi-MO 9 has become the first choice for customers to rest assured and value throughout the life cycle of power plants.

• In the span of 5 days, 21 clubs battled it out on both physical and digital stages to crown an overall winner 
• Six clubs head to the Games of the Future 2025 this December taking place at ADNEC, Abu Dhabi

ABU DHABI, UAE, July 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The final whistle has blown on Phygital Contenders: Abu Dhabi – Football, and México Quetzales – Armadillos FC has emerged victorious, claiming the title after a thrilling finale. Held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), the conclusion of the five-day tournament sees six elite clubs officially qualifying for the Games of the Future 2025, which will take place in Abu Dhabi from 18–23 December 2025.

México Quetzales – Armadillos FC – Phygital Contenders Abu Dhabi champions

Phygital Contenders: Abu Dhabi – Football took center stage as 21 elite clubs from around the world went head-to-head for six spots at the Games of the Future 2025. Held from 25–29 July at ADNEC, Abu Dhabi was the backdrop for some of the leading phygital football athletes ranging from 19–40 years old showing off their skills. Now, the best of them will return to Abu Dhabi in December to compete in the Games of the Future.

In the final showdown, México Quetzales – Armadillos FC overcame CM Jardim in a hard-fought contest that brought together lightning-fast digital gameplay and high-impact physical skill. After a 3-3 draw in the first stage, the clubs clashed on the pitch with 3-1 to cap off an unforgettable final, with the total score of 6-4. 

“We have had a lot of pressure from day 1, and it would have been such a disappointment if we didn’t get a spot. We brought our A-game, and we know we are a fan favorite team,” said Rodrigo Ulibarri, player, México Quetzales – Armadillos FC.

The battle for third place was anything but routine. Greni Smith dominated Zero Tenacity in the digital round with a 6–2 scoreline. But Zero Tenacity pushed back fiercely on the field, scoring four goals in an attempt to flip the match. However, Greni Smith held their ground and found the net once more to seal a dramatic win and third-place finish with a total score of 7-6.

“The team is proud. We know we still have a lot of work to do before December. Everything we’ve gone through to get here has been worth it, and we’ll be back stronger and aiming to win,” said Nizam Omeragić, player, Greni Smith.

The semifinal matchups delivered excitement and intensity, successfully setting the tone for the finale:

• México Quetzales – Armadillos FC defeated Zero Tenacity in a dramatic penalty shootout after both stages ended in a 4–4 tie.
• CM Jardim earned their place in the final by beating Greni Smith, securing a 3–1 digital round win and drawing 2–2 on the field, with a final score of 5-3.

Nis Hatt, CEO of Phygital International said: “With the conclusion of Phygital Contenders: Abu Dhabi – Football, the stage is now set for the Games of the Future in Abu Dhabi in December. It is the culmination of year-long dedication from athletes from around the world and we celebrate with them in this moment and look forward to what they, and many other athletes, will achieve later in the year.”

The Phygital Contenders: Abu Dhabi – Football tournament, was brought to life by ASPIRE in collaboration with Ethara and global rights holder Phygital International.

With Abu Dhabi continuing to assert itself as a global hub for innovation and next-gen sports, all eyes now turn to December when the Emirate hosts the world’s best phygital athletes from diverse backgrounds and across multiple disciplines at the Games of the Future 2025. Nis Hatt continued: “Abu Dhabi is the perfect international platform. It’s future-focused, tech-driven, and already deeply invested in both sports and cyber competitions. It has the appetite, ability and infrastructure to host entirely new sport formats and do it well.“

About Phygital International (PI):

Phygital International is the promoter of phygital sports globally and is focused on innovating and redefining sports. It is the custodian and rights holder of the Games of the Future and oversees the bidding process for each host city.

For further information please visit: https:// Phygitalinternational.com 

About the Games of the Future:

The Games of the Future is an annual international event that fuses the worlds of physical and digital and is the pinnacle of phygital sport. The tournament brings together the next generation of phygital sporting heroes from all over the world to compete in a diverse range of phygital disciplines and challenges. The Games of the Future 2025 will be held in Abu Dhabi, UAE while the Games of the Future 2026, will be held in Astana, Kazakhstan.

For more information please visit: https://gofuture.games/

About ASPIRE:

ASPIRE drives the creation of future transformative technologies as the innovation accelerator arm of Abu Dhabi’s Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC). ATRC is responsible for defining Abu Dhabi’s research and development strategy, consolidating funds for efficient investment, and driving policy and regulation. ASPIRE works in consultation with cross-sector industry stakeholders, universities, and research institutes to frame problem statements. It also launches grand challenges and international competitions to solve some of the world’s most pressing issues. ASPIRE brings together exceptional people, ideas, resources, and technologies to solve complex challenges.

For more information, visit www.aspireuae.ae/ 

About Ethara:

Ethara is shaping the future of entertainment, sport, culture, event services, and asset management regionally and internationally. With offices in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Riyadh, the company employs over 300 professionals who offer an unrivalled wealth of expertise, experience, knowledge and skills. Ethara, meaning ‘thrill’ in Arabic, operates an impressive portfolio of assets, including Yas Marina Circuit, Etihad Park, Etihad Arena, Yas Conference Centre, Zayed Sports City, and the House of Sustainability. The company works with leading events companies, IP owners, and entertainment partners locally and internationally to deliver world-class, first-to-market events and experiences.

For further information, visit: www.ethara.com

Phygital Athlete Participating in the Digital Side of a Phygital Contenders: Abu Dhabi – Football

Phygital Athlete Participating in the Phygital Stage of a Phygital Contenders: Abu Dhabi – Football

Phygital Athlete Shooting in the Phygital Side of Phygital Contenders: Abu Dhabi – Football

Phygital Club Supporting During the Digital Stage of Phygital Contenders: Abu Dhabi – Football