How terror outfits use AI deepfakes to discredit Indian security agencies and boost recruitment

New Delhi: Terrorist organisations and violent extremist groups are increasingly exploiting artificial intelligence (AI) and the concept known as the ‘liar’s dividend’ to discredit security agencies, evade scrutiny and strengthen recruitment and radicalisation efforts, officials said.

The ‘liar’s dividend’ is a term coined by legal scholars Robert Chesney and Danielle Citron. It refers to the ability to dismiss genuine information as fake by claiming that it has been manipulated or generated using AI.

Intelligence officials said terrorist organisations were increasingly using the tactic to undermine official accounts of their operational failures and losses suffered during encounters with security forces.

When security agencies release information about the losses inflicted on a terrorist group, the outfit may claim that the evidence is AI-generated or deepfake content, an Intelligence Bureau official explained.

“In a nutshell, they try to pass off correct information as fake, and the main aim is to debunk what the agencies have claimed,” the official said.

Groups such as Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State have reportedly used this approach following major losses or announcements about the deaths of senior leaders and commanders. By disputing such reports, they attempt to conceal their setbacks and prevent their supporters from losing confidence in the organisation.

Officials have expressed concern that increasingly convincing AI-generated content could weaken the credibility of security agencies and create uncertainty about the losses suffered by terrorist groups.

The tactic could also complicate investigations and judicial proceedings. Investigators and prosecutors may face the additional challenge of establishing the authenticity of evidence and countering claims that genuine information has been fabricated, officials said.

Another official warned that repeatedly questioning official accounts could erode public trust in security institutions.

“When terrorist groups repeatedly use this tactic whenever the agencies release information about an operation, it creates serious doubts in the minds of the public. This complicates matters, as the agencies then have to establish a separate channel to counter the claims being made by the terrorist groups,” the official said.

AI helps terror groups expand their reach

Apart from challenging official accounts, terrorist organisations are increasingly using AI tools to generate and distribute content in local languages. This has made propaganda cheaper and easier to produce while allowing it to reach wider audiences.

Officials said AI was being used for activities ranging from radicalisation and recruitment to operational planning and incitement to violence.

The ‘liar’s dividend’ also serves a recruitment-related purpose. When security agencies report heavy losses inflicted on groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed, the organisations can dispute those accounts to prevent potential recruits from being discouraged by the setbacks.

Security agencies release details of their operations partly to maintain public confidence and counter perceptions that terrorist organisations are powerful or difficult to defeat. Such disclosures can also discourage people who might otherwise consider joining these groups.

However, when terrorist outfits portray official reports as fabricated, potential recruits may be less likely to accept information about the organisations’ losses.

Officials said the strategy was designed to push people away from mainstream information sources and towards channels controlled by terrorist groups. Once individuals begin doubting official accounts, the groups can expose them to selective and moderated content that reinforces their narratives and facilitates further radicalisation.

Security officials expect outfits such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed to continue using the tactic whenever Indian agencies announce the outcomes of counterterrorism operations.

IANS