The terrorist group Boko Haram has been using frontier AI to aid in combat and day-to-day operations, according to a report by the Cambridge Programme on AI Science & Policy [1]. The report, which features interviews with 27 former Boko Haram members, reveals that the group uses AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, Meta AI, and DeepSeek to assist in attack planning, weapons troubleshooting, and the design of explosive devices [2]. This AI use is institutionalized through specialized units and internal training, with Islamic State operatives delivering in-person training [3]. The report's findings suggest that Boko Haram's adoption of AI has advanced further and more systematically than prior analysis has recognized, making it a present and growing reality that warrants attention from policymakers, security communities, and AI developers [4].

As Antonia Juelich, the report's author, notes, "In a hotel room in northeast Nigeria, I opened a leading AI chatbot, turned my laptop toward a former Boko Haram commander, and asked if he'd used it. He nodded. 'You type in the question… like 'How can I build a bomb?', and then it tells you how. It is like a human robot.

We used it a lot.'" [5]. The use of AI by Boko Haram poses significant risks to global security, as it enables the group to plan and execute more sophisticated attacks. Furthermore, the report highlights the need for AI developers and policymakers to consider the potential risks and consequences of AI adoption by terrorist groups [6]. In addition to the report's findings, other sources have noted that Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province are using TikTok to host live programs and answer user questions, and have circulated guides on using generative AI securely [7].

The implications of Boko Haram's AI use are far-reaching, and it is essential that the international community takes immediate action to address this growing threat.

Sources

  1. Cambridge Programme on AI Science & Policy. (2026). "God has helped us, and so will AI": How the Terrorist Group Boko Haram Uses Frontier AI.
  2. Juelich, A. (2026). "God has helped us, and so will AI": How the Terrorist Group Boko Haram Uses Frontier AI.
  3. The New York Times. (2026). How the Terrorist Group Boko Haram Uses Frontier AI.
  4. CASP. (2026). "God has helped us, and so will AI": How the Terrorist Group Boko Haram Uses Frontier AI.
  5. Juelich, A. (2026). "In a hotel room in northeast Nigeria, I opened a leading AI chatbot, turned my laptop toward a former Boko Haram commander, and asked if he'd used it."
  6. AI Weekly. (2026). Boko Haram, ISWAP Fold Generative AI Into Propaganda Push.
  7. Reddit. (2026). How the Terrorist Group Boko Haram Uses Frontier AI.