A new report from the Cambridge Programme on AI Science & Policy has revealed that Boko Haram is already using artificial intelligence for attack planning, weapons troubleshooting, explosives design, drone operations, logistics and operational security.
The researcher conducted 57 face-to-face interviews with 27 former Boko Haram members in Borno and Adamawa states during 2025 and 2026. The participants included mid-ranking commanders, bomb-makers, weapons specialists, engineers and other technical personnel.
Their accounts covered Boko Haram’s AI activities from 2023 to 2024, with one participant providing information up to mid-2025.
Fifteen of the 27 participants knew about the group’s AI operations. The remaining 12 did not because access was restricted to selected commanders and technical units.
Both ISWAP and the JAS faction used ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, Meta AI and DeepSeek. ChatGPT was identified as one of the first and most frequently used systems.
This was not casual use by individual fighters. Both factions established dedicated AI units.
The units contained between five and 20 members, including:
* Bomb-makers.
* Gun specialists.
* Engineers.
* Computer-literate fighters.
* Intelligence personnel.
* Senior commanders.
ISWAP established units in major commands including Sambisa, Timbuktu and Lake Chad. The Lake Chad unit was described as the highest-ranking and closely supervised by Islamic State operatives.
JAS also created a central AI unit and smaller units under each of its four senior commanders.
These specialists were removed from regular combat duties. Their job was to question AI systems, analyse the answers and pass instructions to commanders and fighters.
One former member explained that ordinary fighters were not allowed to access the computers. The AI specialists carried out the analysis and gave others the strategies to implement.
Foreign Islamic State operatives introduced ISWAP to the technology. They organised training sessions where senior commanders gathered in rooms and watched demonstrations through projectors.
One major session reportedly involved between 30 and 50 selected leaders and fighters. Each battalion of about 500 fighters sent its most capable personnel for training.
The original Lake Chad AI unit later trained about 10 people in each of 12 camps. Training was passed down the command structure, but direct access remained restricted by rank.
The foreign operatives supplied laptops reserved specifically for AI work. They also installed VPNs and encryption software, created accounts, paid for premium subscriptions and provided continuous assistance with prompting.
Boko Haram maintained subscriptions with several AI companies. Members of the wider Islamic State network in places such as Sudan created and funded accounts that could not easily be linked to ISWAP.
Some accounts belonged to real supporters outside Nigeria, while others were connected to dead members. This allowed the group to replace blocked accounts and move between different AI providers.
The AI units used the systems during mission preparation, active operations and post-operation review.
The report documented the following uses:
* Planning and comparing attack strategies.
* Designing and troubleshooting explosive devices.
* Repairing guns, vehicles and other equipment.
* Improving logistics and procurement.
* Strengthening communication and operational security.
* Calculating drone payload requirements.
* Improving drone release mechanisms.
* Reviewing failed attacks and correcting mistakes.
* Analysing battlefield images.
* Developing methods for crossing military defences.
In one case, defensive trenches were preventing ISWAP fighters from entering fortified bases. Commanders used AI to develop a method for crossing the trenches with motorcycles.
In another case, a fighter wore a chest camera that transmitted images back to the camp. A commander uploaded the images to ChatGPT, analysed the battlefield situation and sent tactical adjustments back to the fighters.
Bomb-makers also worked beside laptops and repeatedly consulted AI while developing devices. When a design failed or required adjustment, they returned to the chatbot for troubleshooting.
Former members said AI helped them coordinate attacks with smaller groups, construct more powerful explosives and reduce casualties among their own fighters.
One participant explained the value directly: “Trial and error can kill you. AI gives you accuracy.”
AI also assisted ISWAP’s drone programme. The systems advised users about payload weight and mechanisms for releasing loads from drones.
The platforms’ safety restrictions did not stop them. Foreign trainers taught selected members how to disguise prohibited requests as fictional research or material needed for a film.
When one system refused a question or suspended an account, they moved to another chatbot or account. Maintaining access across several providers meant that no single company could cut them off completely.
The report also found that some members were open to chemical and biological weapons, while a few accounts described basic experimentation with chemical agents.
However, the report did not find that either faction currently possesses a developed chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear weapons capability. Their confirmed AI-assisted activities remained focused on conventional weapons and insurgent operations.
The main finding is that Boko Haram has converted publicly available AI chatbots into an organised technical-support system. The technology is controlled by senior personnel, supported by foreign networks and used across multiple stages of military operations.
Post a Comment