August Pfluger Calls for Review of Terrorist AI Threats

U.S. Representative August Pfluger (R) has raised alarms over the growing role of artificial intelligence in national security threats, urging a federal review into how extremists are exploiting emerging technologies to advance terrorism.

As Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence, Pfluger sent a letter to the Government Accountability Office requesting a comprehensive assessment of how violent actors are using advanced AI tools to spread propaganda, recruit followers, and coordinate attacks.

In the letter, Pfluger warned that rapidly evolving technologies -- particularly generative AI and agentic AI -- are giving malicious actors unprecedented capabilities.

"As artificial intelligence increasingly becomes part of the everyday lives of Americans, so too do malicious actors seek to exploit emerging AI technologies... to pursue harmful, even deadly, agendas," wrote Pfluger.

He emphasized that generative AI allows extremists to produce highly targeted propaganda at minimal cost, while more advanced systems can automate harmful activities with limited human involvement.

"The use of GenAI and AAI by violent extremists... poses a broad and evolving national security threat," Pfluger added, noting that the speed and scale of these technologies could overwhelm current federal response capabilities.

Pfluger's request signals growing concern in Congress that federal agencies may not yet fully understand, or be equipped to counter, the risks posed by AI-driven radicalization and digital extremism.

The effort builds on previous action led by Pfluger.

In 2025, the House passed his Generative AI Terrorism Risk Assessment Act, requiring the Department of Homeland Security to conduct annual evaluations of AI-related terrorism threats.

Lawmakers have also held hearings examining how foreign terrorist organizations use online platforms and emerging technologies to inspire attacks within the United States, highlighting the challenge of balancing national security with First Amendment protections.

As artificial intelligence continues to evolve, Pfluger's push for a federal review underscores mounting concern that the next generation of threats may be digital, decentralized, and far more difficult to detect before they turn deadly.