Recruited by algorithms and AI: Terrorists in the West are getting younger

A recent Wall Street Journal article explores how young people are increasingly being drawn into online communities rife with extremist views from across the ideological spectrum. 

ISD Senior Fellow Julia Ebner spoke to the WSJ about the increase in teenage terror suspects, noting that new technologies are only exacerbating the problem. 

“AI-generated videos and images tap into very deep emotions and into human nature,” Julia said. “AI and the algorithms are partly doing the job of a charismatic recruiter—just a hundred times better.” 

ISD has explored youth radicalisation in depth, most recently through our analysis of the 764 network and the rise of nihilistic violence. 

The full article is available on the Wall Street Journal website.