A recent study conducted by researchers at the University of Cambridge has revealed that factions of the Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorist groups are increasingly utilizing artificial intelligence tools, including ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, Meta AI, and DeepSeek. According to insights from former members of these organizations, these AI technologies are employed not just for propaganda purposes but also for a range of operational activities such as planning missions, repairing weapons, fabricating explosives, enhancing security measures, and analyzing past attacks. The militants have been reported to circumvent built-in chatbot safety features by altering their queries or utilizing different AI platforms. Dr. Antonia Julich, the lead author of the study, urges AI developers, intelligence agencies, and academic institutions to enhance the sharing of information regarding these incidents. She emphasizes the necessity for AI safety evaluations to address not only large-scale attack scenarios but also mundane tasks that could incrementally improve the efficiency of terrorist operations. While the findings are largely based on interviews with ex-militants, which limits the ability to independently verify all statements, the report indicates that the integration of AI into terrorist strategies may be occurring more systematically than previously thought.
Informational material. 18+.
