Boko Haram fighters have been using AI chatbots from major technology companies like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini to seek technical advice, plan attacks, and troubleshoot combat problems, according to Cambridge University research. The group reportedly established dedicated AI units and trained members to bypass safety controls, consulting the systems for weapons guidance, explosives manufacturing, and drone adaptation.
Boko Haram factions ISWAP and JAS have systematically used AI chatbots from OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Meta, and DeepSeek to build bombs, plan attacks, and solve combat problems, according to University of Cambridge research based on interviews with 27 former members. The groups established dedicated AI units with specialized operatives who received formal training on circumventing safety controls, with bomb-makers frequently consulting chatbots during explosive device assembly.