Generative artificial intelligence is increasingly being used to influence public opinion and intensify Mali’s ongoing conflict, according to a new study by the Dakar-based Timbuktu Institute.
The think tank described Mali as an “open-air laboratory” for AI-driven information warfare, saying the technology is being used to amplify existing divisions and accelerate propaganda efforts by different sides.
Mali has faced a severe security crisis since 2012, with jihadist groups, criminal gangs and separatist fighters involved in the violence.
Since April, fighters linked to Al-Qaeda-affiliated Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM) and the Tuareg separatist Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) have stepped up attacks against the military government.
The junta, which has distanced itself from Western powers and strengthened ties with Moscow, is receiving support from Russia’s Africa Corps in its fight against insurgents.
According to the study, the use of generative AI varies among the conflict’s factions based on their resources and objectives.
JNIM’s use remains limited, although its media wing, Az-Zallaqa, released AI-generated posters in June.
The technology has been more prominent among groups linked to the FLA, with several TikTok accounts using AI-generated characters portrayed as real people to promote the separatist cause. The institute said the tactic helps “humanise” the movement while making it harder to identify those behind the content.
The most advanced use of AI, however, was linked to Russia and the Africa Corps, which have greater resources and technical expertise.
The report recalled that Meta and OpenAI identified a Russian operation in 2024 that used AI models to produce articles, commentary and images in English and French targeting audiences across sub-Saharan Africa.
The institute said Africa Corps could combine AI-generated content, fake accounts and coordinated distribution strategies to conduct more sophisticated information operations.
