Nigerian jihadists institutionalise AI for bombmaking and tactics

A new study by Cambridge researcher Antonia Juelich documents how Nigerian jihadist groups, including ISWAP and Boko Haram’s JAS faction, have institutionalised the use of artificial‑intelligence tools. The militants operate dedicated AI units, receive expert‑led training and employ chatbots such as ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, Meta AI and DeepSeek for a range of tasks.

According to former fighters, AI has been used to design new explosive mixtures – “AI told us what chemicals to put in that made the explosion heavier” – and to devise unconventional tactics, for example learning how to modify motorcycles to jump trenches: “We saw in a movie how motorcycles can jump over bridges. We used AI to learn how to do this.” The research, covering 2023‑2024 and citing a 2025 interview, warns that safeguards on these tools are insufficient and that terrorist groups are rapidly adopting AI for operational advantage.

The findings highlight a novel security challenge as extremist organisations adopt commercial AI technologies for violent purposes, prompting calls for stronger safeguards from AI developers.