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A study published Wednesday by the Dakar-based Timbuktu Institute indicates that warring factions in Mali are increasingly utilizing artificial intelligence to conduct information warfare alongside physical combat. The report, titled Algorithms at War, examines how generative AI is being deployed by various actors, including the al-Qaeda-linked JNIM, the Front de libération de l’Azawad (FLA), Mali’s transitional authorities, and Russia’s Africa Corps.
Bakary Sambe, director of the Timbuktu Institute and a researcher at Senegal’s Gaston Berger University, stated that generative AI has become a new front in the conflict. According to Sambe, the level of sophistication varies significantly between groups, ranging from rudimentary propaganda efforts to professionalized, large-scale operations.
The study identifies JNIM as being in a phase of limited experimentation. Researchers noted the group has used AI to generate propaganda posters and suggested that the technology could eventually be used to translate recruitment materials into approximately 15 Sahel languages. Sambe warned that the primary danger lies in the potential for large-scale, personalized recruitment, which could use voice dubbing to reach audiences who are illiterate or lack access to written content.
In contrast, supporters of the FLA independence movement are reportedly using AI to create entirely artificial characters. The report highlights the example of “Azzghim,” a fictional Tuareg fighter whose online criticisms of Russia’s Africa Corps have been widely shared. Researchers noted that such characters are used to humanize movements and facilitate recruitment while minimizing the risks associated with real individuals appearing in public.
The Timbuktu Institute described the use of AI by Russia’s Africa Corps and Mali’s transitional authorities as a state-level, systematic adoption of the technology. The report documents 19 Russian disinformation campaigns across Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger since 2018. These operations involve the use of deepfakes, fake videos, and coordinated social media comments to promote the interests of the Alliance of Sahel States and criticize Western powers, regional organizations, and human rights groups.
Sambe noted that Russian disinformation efforts have transitioned from a cottage industry to industrial-scale production, with some content garnering nearly five million views. The study alleges that these campaigns are used to manipulate public opinion and obscure the security situation, particularly as domestic media control tightens and international outlets face restrictions.
The report further warns that AI could eventually transition from information warfare to military operations, such as assisting in drone strikes or target identification. While these advanced military applications remain largely prospective, researchers characterized them as a serious threat that could act as a force multiplier for armed groups.
Article and image source: allafrica.com
