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In a stark demonstration of how artificial intelligence can be weaponized, the Islamic State (ISIS) has launched an AI-driven media initiative named “News Harvest.” This program, which disseminates extremist propaganda quickly and cost-effectively, marks a significant evolution in the group’s media operations.
The big picture
According to a Washington Post report, four days after the Islamic State attacked a Russian concert venue in March, a video featuring an AI-generated news anchor started circulating on a private platform affiliated with the group.The 92-second broadcast framed the attack as part of a “raging war” rather than terrorism.
According to SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors extremist activities online, this 92-second broadcast was created by ISIS supporters using AI.
The broadcasts start with a logo and title sequence, showing AI-generated news anchors dressed in either battle gear or formal attire.
These anchors deliver dispatches alongside scrolling news tickers and b-roll footage of ISIS activities. The program has been used to cover attacks and operations in regions including Niger, Cameroon, Iraq, Syria, and Nigeria, The Washington Post report said.
Why it matters
The use of AI by terrorist groups like the Islamic State represents a significant escalation in the sophistication and reach of their propaganda efforts.
The use of AI tools allows Islamic State to produce high-quality propaganda on a shoestring budget, making it harder for tech companies to moderate this content.
Internal debates have arisen among Islamic State supporters regarding the religious permissibility of AI-generated human images. As a result, recent broadcasts have blurred the AI-generated anchor’s face, the Washington Post report said.
What they are saying:
“For ISIS, AI means a game changer,” said Rita Katz, co-founder of SITE Intelligence Group. “It’s going to be a quick way for them to spread and disseminate their … bloody attacks [to] reach almost every corner of the world.”
Steven Stalinsky of the Middle East Media Research Institute noted, “AI could aid in the growth of homegrown extremism by offering people anywhere the ability to imbibe propaganda, create AI-generated media, and become involved with the extremist group.”
Zoom in
News Harvest videos mimic Al Jazeera broadcasts, featuring AI-generated anchors in battle gear or formal tunics, with news tickers and footage of Islamic State operations.
The videos disseminate official Islamic State media content, such as al-Naba and Amaq.
What’s next
Other Islamist militant organizations, including al-Qaida, are also exploring AI for propaganda purposes.
Counterterrorism efforts must now adapt to the new challenge of AI-generated extremist content, which spreads rapidly and can evade traditional content moderation techniques.
The big picture
According to a Washington Post report, four days after the Islamic State attacked a Russian concert venue in March, a video featuring an AI-generated news anchor started circulating on a private platform affiliated with the group.The 92-second broadcast framed the attack as part of a “raging war” rather than terrorism.
According to SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors extremist activities online, this 92-second broadcast was created by ISIS supporters using AI.
The broadcasts start with a logo and title sequence, showing AI-generated news anchors dressed in either battle gear or formal attire.
These anchors deliver dispatches alongside scrolling news tickers and b-roll footage of ISIS activities. The program has been used to cover attacks and operations in regions including Niger, Cameroon, Iraq, Syria, and Nigeria, The Washington Post report said.
Why it matters
The use of AI by terrorist groups like the Islamic State represents a significant escalation in the sophistication and reach of their propaganda efforts.
The use of AI tools allows Islamic State to produce high-quality propaganda on a shoestring budget, making it harder for tech companies to moderate this content.
Internal debates have arisen among Islamic State supporters regarding the religious permissibility of AI-generated human images. As a result, recent broadcasts have blurred the AI-generated anchor’s face, the Washington Post report said.
What they are saying:
“For ISIS, AI means a game changer,” said Rita Katz, co-founder of SITE Intelligence Group. “It’s going to be a quick way for them to spread and disseminate their … bloody attacks [to] reach almost every corner of the world.”
Steven Stalinsky of the Middle East Media Research Institute noted, “AI could aid in the growth of homegrown extremism by offering people anywhere the ability to imbibe propaganda, create AI-generated media, and become involved with the extremist group.”
Zoom in
News Harvest videos mimic Al Jazeera broadcasts, featuring AI-generated anchors in battle gear or formal tunics, with news tickers and footage of Islamic State operations.
The videos disseminate official Islamic State media content, such as al-Naba and Amaq.
What’s next
Other Islamist militant organizations, including al-Qaida, are also exploring AI for propaganda purposes.
Counterterrorism efforts must now adapt to the new challenge of AI-generated extremist content, which spreads rapidly and can evade traditional content moderation techniques.
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