Al-Qaida and the Islamic State are both adopting AI – but differ in how they think about the technology

Terrorist groups may use artificial intelligence for similar purposes, but their organizational cultures shape how they understand it.

By: Sara Harmouch, George Washington University, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: July 27, 2026

Words: 1,347

Last Updated: 3 weeks, 2 days ago

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By Sara Harmouch, George Washington University

Artificial intelligence may not create a new kind of terrorism, but it makes existing tactics cheaper, faster and easier. That is the central argument of a July 2026 report from the U.S.-based think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies.

It is a convincing argument, but it leaves one question unanswered: Are different terrorist groups thinking about the technology in the same way?

As a terrorism expert

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