Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly vulnerable to exploitation by violent extremists, posing a "major national security concern," according to a recent report.

Last month, a 13-year-old teenager in Queensland was charged over allegations that he created alarming scenarios on an AI platform, including generating a note titled "The Albert Massacre," referencing Albert State School in Maryborough. The boy is also accused of using AI multiple times to simulate a mass shooting.

The United Nations-supported not-for-profit Tech Against Terrorism tested 27 AI models, requesting information that could be used for terrorist acts, such as step-by-step instructions for making explosive devices and 3D-printed firearms. The report found that ChatGPT, the most widely used generative AI system, refused only 48% of over 2,000 such requests.

Adam Hadley, executive director of Tech Against Terrorism, said AI models pose a greater risk than simple web searches because they engage users in persuasive, back-and-forth conversations. He compared emerging AI platforms to instructors or mentors capable of advising on dangerous topics. A stabbing attack in a Melbourne shopping centre is also alleged to have resulted from AI radicalisation.

In his speech announcing the national artificial intelligence framework, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated that "extremists and state actors" are known to use AI for propaganda and recruitment.

In 2024, ASIO director-general Mike Burgess told the National Press Club that AI would provide extremists with a "step change" in capabilities and warned that offshore extremists were using the technology to build weapons and plan attacks.

University of New South Wales AI Institute chief scientist Toby Walsh criticized existing penalties as insufficient, noting that Anthropic, creator of Claude AI, paid $US1.5 billion to settle a copyright lawsuit.

A spokesperson for OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, said it worked to prevent misuse. However, concerns remain about the reckless release of AI capabilities and the need for government protection of citizens.

Sources