Get you up to speed: ISIS Promotes Responsible AI Use for Recruits in Afghanistan’s Khorasan Region
The latest edition of Voice of Khorasan, the English language magazine by Afghanistan’s ISIS branch, instructs supporters on using AI technology. It describes AI as having dual potential, stating, “AI is like fire. You can use it to light a home, or to burn it down.”
Afghanistan’s branch of ISIS, through its magazine Voice of Khorasan, has begun instructing supporters on utilising artificial intelligence responsibly for jihadist purposes, as reported by Politico. Jonathan Hall, the British government’s independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, warned that advancements in AI capabilities are increasingly accessible to terrorist groups, suggesting that chatbot radicalisation could soon emerge. Additionally, Eric Schmidt, former chief executive of Google, expressed concerns about the potential for AI to be used by terrorists for harmful ends, advocating for government oversight of tech companies involved in AI development.
The latest edition of Voice of Khorasan, the English-language magazine by Afghanistan’s ISIS branch, outlines how supporters can responsibly use artificial intelligence for their purposes. Jonathan Hall, the British government’s independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, warns that the rapid developments in AI could lead to the creation of terrorist chatbots and underscores the need for government oversight of AI advancements. Eric Schmidt cautions that the technology might be exploited by terrorist organisations or rogue states, emphasising the risks associated with unregulated AI development.
What we know so far
Terror group ISIS is teaching recruits how to use AI ‘responsibly’ | News World
Afghan soldiers have been fighting against the Khorasan-based ISIS group for years (Picture: AP)
The latest edition of the magazine by Afghanistan’s branch of ISIS explains how supporters can use AI to be ‘responsible’.
Politico found that the editions of Voice of Khorasan, the English language magazine made by ISIS based in Afghanistan, are showing supporters how to utilise the technology for ‘mujahid’.
‘Mujahid’ is a term for those engaged in jihad, or defending Islam.
The magazine reads: ‘AI is like fire. You can use it to light a home, or to burn it down’.
‘AI is everywhere. Learn it before it learns too much about you. Raise children and students to be cyber-conscious and spiritually grounded,’ it added.
The article also said it’s useful for ‘anonymous private research’ and could help recruits avoid ‘unnecessary exposure’.
It comes after a warning from the British government’s independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, Jonathan Hall, who told Politico: ‘The developments in AI and agentic AI are accelerating fast, and more and more of these capabilities are available off the shelf to terrorist groups.
‘I would not be surprised if chatbot radicalisation starts to take off: If you can create a terrorist website, why would you refrain from creating a terrorist chatbot?
‘If government officials are not watching a ticker-tape of AI developments, they really should be.’
Last year, a former chief executive of Google warned about the ‘extreme risk’ posed by terrorists or rogue states using artificial intelligence.
Eric Schmidt called for governments to have oversight of private tech companies, citing fears of terrorists using the tech for ‘evil goals’.
‘The real fears that I have are not the ones that most people talk about AI – I talk about extreme risk,’ Mr Schmidt told the BBC, naming North Korea, Iran or Russia.
ISIS fighters are fighting members of the Taliban in Afghanistan (Picture: Getty)
Mr Schmidt, who held senior positions at Google from 2001 to 2017, said the technology could be used to create biological weapons.
‘I’m always worried about the ‘Osama Bin Laden’ scenario, where you have some truly evil person who takes over some aspect of our modern life and uses it to harm innocent people,’ he said.
With private companies leading the way in AI development, Mr Schmidt called for careful monitoring and regulation by governments.
‘It’s really important that governments understand what we’re doing and keep their eye on us,’ he said.
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