Days after a deadly Islamic State (IS) attack on a Russian concert hall that killed over 140 people, an online video surfaced showing a man in military gear celebrating the assault. According to SITE Intelligence Group, the man in the video was created using artificial intelligence, not a real person.
Federico Borgonovo, a researcher at the Royal United Services Institute, traced the AI-generated video to an IS supporter who combined IS statements and data to create it. Borgonovo noted that while the video’s production quality was high, its content was relatively average in terms of violence and propaganda.
The use of AI by extremist groups is on the rise, with IS and other radical movements employing AI to generate content, recruit through chatbots, and even conduct cyber-attacks. Researchers are concerned about the potential for AI to enhance these groups’ online influence and activities.
Despite the collapse of its self-declared caliphate in 2017, IS continues to operate online, using media to recruit and radicalize. AI technologies are increasingly being used to facilitate this process, from creating sophisticated content to developing chatbots that mimic real militants.
Experts worry that AI could further automate and amplify extremist activities, blending harmful content into mainstream culture and expanding the reach of online recruitment efforts.
