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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Conflict & Security

Report: Boko Haram Uses AI to Make Bombs, Plot Operations

From ThisDay · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Boko Haram terrorists are reportedly using artificial intelligence (AI) tools like ChatGPT and Gemini to develop weapons and enhance their operations.
  • Former insurgents revealed to researchers that they consulted AI for bomb-making instructions and modifying motorcycles to overcome military obstacles.
  • AI platforms like OpenAI's and Google's have stated that their models have protections against dangerous requests, but the terrorists bypassed these by disguising their queries.

Boko Haram and its affiliate ISWAP have reportedly turned to artificial intelligence, including widely accessible tools like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, and DeepSeek, to advance their terrorist activities, according to a report by The New York Times.

We saw in a movie how motorcycles can jump over bridges. We used AI to learn how to do this. We gave it information like which motorcycles we use, the distance we need to jump, and so on. And it gave us steps on what we have to do.

— Former Boko Haram commanderDescribing how AI was used to overcome military obstacles.

Former insurgents shared with terrorism and technology researcher Antonia Juelich of the University of Cambridge how they leveraged AI. After a planned assault was thwarted by a defensive trench, the group sought AI's advice on overcoming such obstacles. The AI provided instructions on modifying motorcycles for increased speed and acceleration, enabling fighters to practice jumping over trenches before operations.

One former commander detailed how AI was used to learn how to modify motorcycles to jump over bridges, providing specific details like the type of motorcycles used and the required jump distance. Another former ISWAP commander described AI as a "human robot," offering detailed answers to questions like "How can I build a bomb?" He emphasized that AI provides accuracy, reducing the risks of trial-and-error, and explained how AI helped them increase the explosive power of their bombs by identifying specific chemicals.

You type in the question or use your voice, and it gives you a detailed answer, like ‘How can I build a bomb?’ and then it tells you how. It is like a human robot! We used it a lot. Trial-and-error can kill you. AI gives you accuracy.

— Former ISWAP commanderExplaining the utility of AI for bomb-making and operational accuracy.

While OpenAI stated that the terrorists violated its policies, and Google and Anthropic claimed their models have safeguards against dangerous requests, the former insurgents revealed they often circumvented these restrictions by framing their queries as legitimate projects. This sophisticated use of AI by terrorist groups highlights a growing and concerning trend in modern warfare and security.

Before, the bomb explosion was not that big, but then they studied it. AI told us what chemicals to put in that made the explosion heavier.

— Former ISWAP commanderDetailing how AI improved the destructive power of their explosives.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ThisDay. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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