Boko Haram fighters and ISIL supporters accused of using AI chatbots for bombmaking and attack planning

Boko Haram fighters and supporters of the wider ISIL movement are being linked to the use of major artificial intelligence chatbots for bombmaking, attack planning and battlefield problem-solving, according to research and exclusive material described in the supplied reporting. The findings focus on northeastern Nigeria and on online spaces used by ISIL supporters, where users were said to be sharing ways to bypass AI safeguards. The material points to a developing pattern in which extremist groups are adapting consumer AI tools for operational use.

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Researchers from the University of Cambridge said they interviewed 27 former members of Boko Haram's two factions, including the ISIL affiliate in West Africa Province, known as ISWAP, and Jama'at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da'wah wa'l-Jihad, known as JAS. Several former members described using ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, Meta AI and DeepSeek as a routine source of technical and military advice before, during and after attacks. One former ISWAP commander was quoted as saying there was nothing they had not received an answer on, while another said outsiders had travelled into rebel-held territory to teach senior members how to use AI.

The reporting says fighters were assembled in rooms with laptops and projectors and shown how to query chatbots and bypass the safeguards designed to block dangerous requests. Exclusive material also reportedly shows supporters of the wider ISIL movement sharing instructions on how to circumvent safety controls and obtain weapons-related information. Researchers from Tech Against Terrorism said they infiltrated a pro-ISIL technical forum where users were instructing one another on how to use AI while avoiding restrictions.

The findings matter because they suggest that extremist groups are not only consuming online propaganda but also using mainstream digital tools for practical military support. That raises concerns for technology companies, counter-terrorism agencies and governments trying to limit the misuse of rapidly improving AI systems. The issue is especially sensitive in Nigeria, where Boko Haram and its splinter factions have remained active for years and where armed groups have repeatedly adapted to changing security conditions.

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The report also comes against a wider backdrop of warnings about the use of advanced technology by ISIL and its affiliates. In February, United Nations officials told the Security Council that the group and its networks were making increased use of advanced AI. The supplied material says researchers and several prominent figures in the technology industry have also warned that safeguards are not advancing as quickly as the systems themselves, creating opportunities for armed groups to exploit them.

The research described in the reporting suggests a structured effort rather than isolated experimentation. According to the account, operatives travelled to ISWAP-controlled territory to train senior members, indicating that AI use may have been embedded in the group's internal knowledge-sharing. The same reporting says former fighters described the technology as part of their routine operational toolkit, including for tasks linked to combat and attack preparation.

What remains unclear is the scale of current use, how widely the practice has spread beyond the groups named in the reporting, and whether the companies involved have identified and acted on the specific misuse described. It is also not clear how much of the material reflects direct operational guidance versus general technical assistance. The next developments to watch are any response from the companies named, further findings from researchers, and whether security agencies in Nigeria or elsewhere say the reports change their assessment of the threat.

#Boko #Haram #Fighters #Isil #Supporters

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