Generative AI Tools Used in Jihadist Propaganda Trend

Over a decade ago, the Islamic State released a video showing its members drowning men in a cage. Recently, this video has been reimagined as a SpongeBob SquarePants cartoon, depicting fish in orange jumpsuits as SpongeBob lowers the cage into water while Squidward films. This video, shared on TikTok, is part of a trend identified by the Institute of Strategic Dialogue (ISD) as 'Slop Jihad,' where young supporters of groups like ISIS and al-Qaida use generative AI tools to create fan edits, cartoons, and memes aimed at radicalizing new online audiences. The ISD report indicates this trend represents a significant change in jihadist propaganda aesthetics. Adam Hadley, executive director of Tech Against Terrorism, stated that the increasing volume and diversity of content could make extremist material more accessible to younger viewers, potentially leading to algorithmic recommendations for more overt propaganda. Historically, Islamic terror groups have adapted to new media to disseminate their messages widely, as seen in the early 2020s Alt Jihad movement, which blended alt-right aesthetics with Islamic terrorism content. Generative AI technology has been employed by these groups for several years; for example, in 2024, an Islamic State-affiliated news program began using AI-generated anchors for propaganda videos. Moustafa Ayad, a research chair at ISD, noted that the current content produced with generative AI differs significantly from previous iterations. The Slop Jihad trend has faced criticism from traditional supporters who question the authenticity of its producers. TikTok has been a key platform for these jihadist messaging campaigns, as highlighted by a 2024 report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, which found TikTok among the top platforms for spreading extremist content. Ayad identified 150 Slop Jihad videos from 71 accounts on TikTok, totaling over 5.4 million views, attributing their prevalence to TikTok's targeted algorithm. TikTok disputed the ISD report's findings, claiming its methodology was vague and that it actively removes violent content. Following communication from WIRED, TikTok deleted several videos identified in the report. Experts consulted by WIRED generally supported the ISD's conclusions, noting the ease with which generative AI enables a broader user base to remix jihadist imagery. Ayad acknowledged that while some Slop Jihad content may not be easily identifiable as terror-related, much of it clearly supports extremist ideologies. Despite TikTok's moderation efforts, some accounts continue to evade detection and maintain backup accounts to remain active.