Commonground
Senior Moderator
August 10, 2026
The recent spread of the Ebola virus recalls the early days of COVID-19, when terrorist organizations considered leveraging a global health crisis for attacks. Today, the threat landscape is more complex. Artificial intelligence (AI) now gives extremists shortcuts to technical guidance, biological research, and attack planning that did not exist when COVID emerged. MEMRI extensively researched the COVID-era threat over the course of three years and published the most comprehensive study on this subject to date. While Ebola is still very difficult to weaponize, there is a possibility that it could become another weapon in the terrorist arsenal – and AI could help them overcome some of the challenges involved.
At the same time, it was reported just yesterday that Stanford University researchers have used AI to create the first viruses unknown in nature. Project leader Brian Hie said, “Our study is a proof of concept showing for the first time that generative design can generate entire functional genomes.”
Jih adis are surely already asking AI platforms how Ebola might be weaponized or spread. Testing by the MEMRI Cyber Jihad Lab (CJL) research team found that Grok, ChatGPT, and Perplexity refused to answer directly, offering only general information – although ChatGPT offered to explain, at a high level and without operational details, why some pathogens are considered more suitable for weaponization than others. Claude immediately flagged the conversation, while DeepSeek was willing to discuss the topic in greater depth. The range of responses underlines a real challenge: Despite efforts by AI companies, protections remain inconsistent, as extremist interest grows.
AI Pioneers Warn About AI And Biological Weapons
Continued: https://www.hstoday.us/subject-matt...and-the-rising-threat-of-jihadi-bioterrorism/
The recent spread of the Ebola virus recalls the early days of COVID-19, when terrorist organizations considered leveraging a global health crisis for attacks. Today, the threat landscape is more complex. Artificial intelligence (AI) now gives extremists shortcuts to technical guidance, biological research, and attack planning that did not exist when COVID emerged. MEMRI extensively researched the COVID-era threat over the course of three years and published the most comprehensive study on this subject to date. While Ebola is still very difficult to weaponize, there is a possibility that it could become another weapon in the terrorist arsenal – and AI could help them overcome some of the challenges involved.
At the same time, it was reported just yesterday that Stanford University researchers have used AI to create the first viruses unknown in nature. Project leader Brian Hie said, “Our study is a proof of concept showing for the first time that generative design can generate entire functional genomes.”
Jih adis are surely already asking AI platforms how Ebola might be weaponized or spread. Testing by the MEMRI Cyber Jihad Lab (CJL) research team found that Grok, ChatGPT, and Perplexity refused to answer directly, offering only general information – although ChatGPT offered to explain, at a high level and without operational details, why some pathogens are considered more suitable for weaponization than others. Claude immediately flagged the conversation, while DeepSeek was willing to discuss the topic in greater depth. The range of responses underlines a real challenge: Despite efforts by AI companies, protections remain inconsistent, as extremist interest grows.
AI Pioneers Warn About AI And Biological Weapons
Continued: https://www.hstoday.us/subject-matt...and-the-rising-threat-of-jihadi-bioterrorism/
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