Central Asia Confronts Growing Threat of AI-Enabled Extremism

Central Asian leaders convened in Astana on November 6 to deliberate on combating the perils of internet-based extremism and artificial intelligence. The discussions, conducted under the Aqaba Process framework, centered on the ways militant groups employ AI to facilitate terrorism. Deepfakes, for instance, have been utilized to disseminate propaganda, spread disinformation, and attract recruits.

Terrorists also leverage AI to impede government investigations into suspected terrorist incidents and activities. Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev assured that Tashkent would be prepared to host a Central Asian branch of the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism to bolster regional collaboration on reporting terrorist content, identifying terrorist financing, and training experts.

He highlighted AI's potential in assisting officials to more effectively detect and thwart militant group activities. Mirziyoyev also championed the use of AI to broaden educational access and economic opportunities for regional citizens, making them less vulnerable to militant messaging. The meeting's summary emphasized that the common objective should be to transform new technologies from sources of threats to powerful instruments for ensuring peace, security, and human development.

Mirziyoyev further suggested launching a program called Enlightenment Against Ignorance in the Digital Age, operated under the oversight of Tashkent's Center for Islamic Civilization. Security concerns related to militant groups based in Afghanistan persist for Central Asian leaders. Tajikistan has experienced several cross-border armed incidents over the past year.

Additionally, the Taliban's influence in northern Afghanistan, which borders Central Asian states, remains tenuous, as watchdog groups have documented an increase in armed clashes involving Taliban forces and insurgent groups in 2026. Militant groups not aligned with the Taliban, such as ISIS-K, are known to target Central Asians for recruitment.

A June 2025 testimony before the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee's Subcommittee on South and Central Asia's Subcommittee revealed that ISIS-K is increasingly leveraging dispersed networks of Central Asian operatives to project force globally. The appeal of ISIS-K for Central Asians lies in its geographical proximity, ideology, and messaging.

Propaganda directed at Central Asians has shifted from mass-produced to precision-targeted. The internet has been the primary enabler of this shift. ISIS-K's digital operations have grown more sophisticated, utilizing encrypted platforms, coded language, and AI-generated content to evade detection and manipulate audiences. The Aqaba Process, initiated by Jordan in 2015, aimed to enhance coordination, cooperation, and knowledge exchange regarding security issues.

Alongside Mirziyoyev, the Astana session was attended by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Jordan's King Abdullah, and the presidents of Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, alongside high-level representatives from Kyrgyzstan and Azerbaijan.