A critical research agenda on AI, terrorism, and counter-terrorism
- For policymakers
- Summary created: 2025
Advocates for Critical Terrorism Studies (CTS) to engage systematically with Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the context of terrorism and counter-terrorism, emphasizing the need for a critical examination of AI’s sociopolitical implications.
In recent years, AI has become a pivotal topic across various domains due to its ability to autonomously process vast amounts of data. AI systems, currently categorized under Artificial Narrow Intelligence (ANI), are being explored for their potential applications in security, including terrorism and counter-terrorism. This exploration is driven by a global competition among states, international organizations, and tech companies to harness AI’s capabilities while simultaneously seeking global regulatory frameworks. Concerns have been raised about the potential for terrorist groups to exploit AI, posing significant threats, while debates continue on the ethical implications of using AI in counter-terrorism efforts. Critical security scholars have engaged with these issues, drawing from Science and Technology Studies (STS) to analyze the political ramifications of AI in security contexts. However, the literature remains fragmented, and there is a call for CTS to contribute its unique theoretical and empirical insights to these discussions.
The challenge lies in the need for CTS to critically analyze the narratives surrounding AI in security governance, particularly how AI is framed as both a threat and a solution in terrorism and counter-terrorism discourses. This involves examining the sociotechnical imaginaries that shape AI development in counter-terrorism, the role of AI-driven counter-terrorism in social ordering and exclusion, and the material infrastructures of AI security technologies. CTS must also address the algorithmic biases that exacerbate racialized, gendered, and class-based inequalities, engaging with feminist, postcolonial, and decolonial perspectives to challenge the Western, racialized, and patriarchal assumptions embedded in counter-terrorism technologies. The urgency for CTS engagement is underscored by AI’s growing international priority, necessitating a critical examination of its implications for security and justice.
Key findings
AI is framed as both a threat and a solution in terrorism and counter-terrorism discourses, necessitating a critical examination of these narratives.
Evidence
The article highlights the importance of analyzing how AI is imagined in relation to terrorism and counter-terrorism, and how these narratives legitimize specific security responses.
What it means
Understanding these narratives is crucial for unpacking the political implications of AI in security governance and for developing more equitable security policies.
Sociotechnical imaginaries shape AI development in counter-terrorism, reflecting power dynamics and prioritizing certain security visions over others.
Evidence
The article emphasizes the need for CTS to investigate whose visions of security are prioritized and whose are marginalized in these imaginaries.
What it means
This investigation can reveal the political consequences of AI development in counter-terrorism and inform more inclusive security strategies.
AI-driven counter-terrorism contributes to social ordering and exclusion, reinforcing existing inequalities.
Evidence
The article calls for a robust reflection on how algorithmic bias in AI technologies deepens racialized, gendered, and class-based inequalities.
What it means
Addressing these biases is essential for challenging the status quo and promoting justice in counter-terrorism efforts.
The material infrastructures of AI security technologies have significant political consequences.
Evidence
The article suggests that CTS should engage with the political implications of focusing on 'AI counter-terrorism' as an agent in security matters.
What it means
This engagement can inform debates on the role of AI in security and its impact on societal structures.
CTS engagement with AI in terrorism and counter-terrorism is politically urgent, given AI's growing international priority.
Evidence
The article argues for CTS to scrutinize the political consequences of global governance on AI in security matters.
What it means
This scrutiny is necessary to ensure that AI development aligns with principles of justice and equity.
Share your thoughts
You must be logged in to ask a question. Make an account.
Are you a researcher looking to make a real-world impact? Join Acume and transform your research into a practical summary.