Artificial intelligence (AI) is a technology that can perform complex tasks traditionally performed only by humans, such as problem solving, reasoning, and decision-making.
Machine learning, a subset of AI, focuses on algorithms that improve performance for specific tasks by learning from the data they are given. These algorithms analyze patterns in datasets and draw conclusions from the patterns, eliminating the need for human intervention. This has resulted in an increased reliance on advanced technologies to enhance surveillance and threat detection capabilities.
An example of this use can be seen in the approaches employed by China, which is using AI to identify individuals it deems a potential threat to national security. However, the effectiveness of AI models in identifying and preventing potential terrorist activity depends on the availability of information about the specific behavior of individuals to identify potential terrorists and predict future activity.
Pakistan can follow China's model and use advanced technology, especially artificial intelligence, to strengthen its national security posture and counter terrorist threats. For example, INSIKT Intelligence is a U.S. startup that uses social media analysis and other information to spot possible online threats. Similar AI technology tools could be adapted for Pakistan to provide more detailed insight into terrorist activity online.
AI can also be used to identify people who may be radicalized on the internet. By analyzing online activity using machine learning techniques such as natural language processing (NLP), we can find potential signs of radicalization. AI plays a key role through automated text analysis that can identify language, sentiment, and ideas. NLP can recognize subtle hints in language that may indicate a shift towards radical thinking…
These AI systems constantly learn from new data, improving their accuracy over time and their ability to distinguish between harmless expressions of opinion and signs of extremism and radicalization. An example of a tool built for this purpose while adhering to strict privacy and security standards is the EU-funded Real-time Early Detection and Warning System for Online Terrorist Content (RED-Alert) project. …
Misinformation and disinformation spread by terrorists on social media pose a serious threat to national security. Terrorist groups are believed to create an environment conducive to terrorism by spreading false information that creates fear and anxiety, destabilizing communities and making them easier to manipulate. They also spread fake news about government actions, undermining social cohesion and making extremist claims more appealing, undermining trust in authorities.
To recruit, terrorists spread distorted ideological narratives to highlight perceived injustices and attract and radicalize individuals who feel marginalized. The spread of this disinformation helps to create an environment that fosters terrorism by polarizing societies and increasing tensions, normalizing extremist views over time, and making it easier to coordinate terrorist activities under the guise of false narratives.
This information cannot be shared online at low cost, so misinformation is spread primarily by bots, online programs that perform repetitive tasks. A 2017 study found that there are 140 million bots on Facebook, about 27 million bots on Instagram, and 23 million bots on Twitter. Propaganda on social media can be distributed automatically by groups such as ISIL, which have proven adept at using bots.
However, websites like Snopes.com can be used to verify the reliability of sources and identify hate speech and disinformation to combat a significant proportion of the misinformation and fake news spread by terrorists.
Beyond securing the online space, Pakistan can leverage the implementation of biometric systems such as the Safe City Project, which can be expanded to integrate biometric systems with AI-driven surveillance solutions by installing high-resolution CCTV cameras with facial recognition and biometric scanning capabilities at key public locations such as crosswalks, transport hubs, and crowded marketplaces.
Integrating these biometric systems with AI can help compare the data against international watch lists and databases to quickly identify potential threats. This approach can enable real-time identification and surveillance, greatly enhancing national security.
Pakistan has conducted similar efforts in the past using Skynet, which systematically analyzed the metadata of the country's 55 million Pakistani mobile phone users to uncover terrorist activity with an error margin of error of up to 0.008%.
AI and ML hold great promise in combating terrorism in Pakistan through various innovative approaches. The use of biometric authentication systems can significantly enhance security.
By combining the reasoning, problem-solving, and other powers of AI with the data-learning capabilities of ML, security agencies can develop models that predict potential terrorist activities and forms of online radicalization.
Therefore, Pakistan can strengthen its counter-terrorism efforts by ensuring ethical sensitivity and respecting privacy and civil liberties.
The author,
Centre for Aerospace and Security Studies (CASS), Lahore. Contact: info@casslhr.com
