Extremist groups are using AI voice cloning to boost their propaganda efforts. According to The Guardian, militant movements from neo-Nazis to the Islamic State now recreate voices and speeches of major figures to spread ideology. Experts warn the technology helps these groups grow and reach new audiences.
Neo-Nazis Clone Historical Voices
Neo-Nazi groups have turned to AI voice cloning services, particularly ElevenLabs. They feed archival speeches into the software to recreate voices in English. Recent research by the Global Network on Extremism and Technology found that English-language versions of Adolf Hitler’s speeches have gained tens of millions of streams across platforms like X, Instagram, and TikTok.
Neo-Nazi accelerationists also use these tools for modern messaging. An influential neo-Nazi created an audiobook of Siege, a manual written by James Mason that inspired groups like the Base and Atomwaffen Division. The creator used a custom voice model of Mason to transform the text into audio.
Joshua Fisher-Birch, a terrorism analyst at the Counter Extremism Project, notes that Siege holds cultlike status among some in the extreme right. The book promotes lone actor violence and was required reading for several neo-Nazi groups whose members committed violent acts.
Islamic State Exploits Translation Tools
Pro-Islamic State media outlets use AI to create text-to-speech versions of ideological content. Lucas Webber, a senior threat intelligence analyst at Tech Against Terrorism, says advanced generative AI tools let these groups produce seamless translations that preserve tone and emotion across multiple languages.
Jihadist Groups Translate Teachings
Jihadist terrorist groups find utility in AI for translating extremist teachings from Arabic into multilingual content. In the past, American imam and al-Qaeda operative Anwar al-Awlaki had to personally voice English lectures for recruitment. The CIA and FBI cited the influence of his voice as a key factor in spreading al-Qaeda’s message.
On Rocket.Chat, the preferred communications platform of the Islamic State, a user posted a video clip in October with Japanese subtitles. The user remarked on the difficulties of translating Japanese without AI while keeping its eloquence.
Groups across the ideological spectrum have begun using free AI applications like OpenAI’s ChatGPT to amplify their activities. The Base and similar groups use it to create imagery and streamline planning. Counterterrorism authorities view this as a persistent challenge in keeping pace with terror groups who exploit new technologies.
