Boko Haram Used US and Chinese AI Chatbots for Attacks, Cambridge Study Reveals
Boko Haram members participated in training sessions using AI chatbots with pre-installed encryption software, conducted by AI 'trainers' linked to the Islamic State network. The study, by Cambridge University, interviewed former members who described the group's use of AI for terror attacks since 2023. The findings suggest Boko Haram may not be alone in leveraging AI for such activities.
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Huddled in a room around a big screen, dozens of Boko Haram members listened intently as external consultants, whom they called “the white guys”, coached them on how to use leading artificial intelligence chatbots with laptops pre-installed with VPNs and encryption software. The workshop was one of several training sessions delivered by specialised AI “trainers”, likely members of the vast Islamic State network, to Boko Haram members in northeastern Nigeria sometime during 2023 or 2024,...
A report published by Cambridge University features in-depth interviews with dozens of former members of Nigeria’s Boko Haram explaining how the jihadist group has used artificial intelligence to improve its ability to carry out terror attacks since 2023. Experts say they are unlikely to be the only ones.