Study Warns of AI-Driven Disinformation in Mali’s Conflict
Generative artificial intelligence is becoming a new tool in Mali’s long-running information war, according to a study by the Timbuktu Institute. The report describes the country as an “open-air laboratory” for AI use in conflict. Mali has faced insecurity since 2012, involving jihadist groups, criminal networks and separatist movements. The study says AI is being used to influence public opinion and deepen political and social divisions. It found that AI use differs across factions based on their resources and technical capacity. Al-Qaeda-linked JNIM reportedly used AI-generated posters in June, while online spaces linked to the Azawad Liberation Front have used artificial characters presented as real people to promote separatist messages.
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