Boko Haram now prompts AI? Report says terrorists used ChatGPT, Gemini and other AI tools to plan attacks

• Boko Haram and ISWAP reportedly used AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Grok and DeepSeek to seek information related to attacks and military tactics.

• Researchers interviewed former insurgents, who claimed AI helped with motorcycle modifications, weapons repairs and other operational questions.

• AI companies say such use is prohibited, adding that they continue strengthening safeguards to prevent violent misuse of their systems.

• Experts warn AI could make extremist groups more capable, even though they do not expect it to dramatically transform terrorism in the immediate future.

Artificial intelligence is making life easier for millions of people around the world, but according to a new report, terrorist groups have also been trying to use the technology to improve their operations.

A report by The New York Times, citing a study by University of Cambridge terrorism and technology researcher Antonia Juelich, says some Boko Haram fighters turned to AI chatbots for technical guidance on attacks, weapons and battlefield tactics.

The findings are based on interviews Juelich conducted over the past year with former Boko Haram members in Nigeria.

One of the former commanders explained how the group turned to AI after a military operation failed because Nigerian troops had dug defensive trenches that stopped their motorcycles.

"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 what motorcycles we use and the distance we need to jump and so on, and it gave us steps on what we have to do."

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According to the report, mechanics then modified the motorcycles to improve their speed and acceleration, while fighters repeatedly practised the stunt before launching another attack.

The study also found that AI wasn't only used for movement during attacks. Former fighters claimed they asked chatbots questions about repairing weapons, improving equipment, gathering operational information and designing improvised explosive devices.

One former commander in the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) described how accessible the technology had become.

"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."

Another former Boko Haram member claimed AI helped the group improve the effectiveness of its explosives.

"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."

Several former members interviewed for the research said AI reduced trial and error during their operations.

"Trial-and-error can kill you. AI gives you accuracy."

Another commander even described AI as becoming an important part of the group's operations, saying:

"God has helped us, and so will AI."

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According to the study, the insurgents experimented with several popular AI platforms, including ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok and DeepSeek, comparing responses to identify which systems provided the most useful information.

The report says some experienced members also tried to bypass built-in safety restrictions by disguising dangerous requests as harmless ones, such as claiming they needed the information for a movie project.

Researchers say the findings show extremist groups are beginning to move beyond using AI for propaganda, recruitment and translation. Instead, some are now exploring ways to use the technology for operational planning, reconnaissance, coding, communications and intelligence gathering.

The companies behind some of the AI tools have maintained that such use violates their policies.

OpenAI said using its products for terrorism or violence is prohibited and that it continues to strengthen safeguards against misuse. Google and Anthropic also said their AI models are designed to refuse dangerous requests while regularly improving their safety systems.

Security experts, however, believe AI is unlikely to completely change the nature of terrorism anytime soon. But they warn that it could make lower-level operatives more capable by making technical knowledge easier and faster to access, even as AI companies continue working to block harmful misuse.