Iran’s cyber arsenal gets AI upgrade as hackers tap ChatGPT, Gemini

Iranian military-linked hackers are increasingly using Western artificial intelligence tools such as ChatGPT and Gemini to accelerate cyber operations, according to cybersecurity experts and industry analysts cited by the Financial Times.

The developments come as tensions persist in the Middle East, with Tehran’s cyber units reportedly intensifying digital campaigns against adversaries including Israel, the United States and regional states such as the United Arab Emirates.

Cyber analysts say Iranian groups are using large language models developed by companies such as OpenAI and Google to craft phishing messages, generate malware, translate content into Hebrew and Arabic, and create convincing online personas.

“We are seeing signs that they are using AI prompts the entire way,” said a cybersecurity analyst at a big firm, speaking anonymously. “It has absolutely helped them raise their game.”

Experts say generative AI has significantly increased both the speed and scale of Iran’s cyber operations, enabling more automated and persistent social engineering campaigns.

“If you are from Tehran and trying to pretend to be the HR person at a defence contractor, it is a heavy lift to talk to someone for a month and come off as a person living in California,” said the cyber security analyst.

Israel-based cyber security firm Check Point also reports growing automation. “This is all being done automatically,” said Gil Messing. “They are using every tool they can in order to expedite their efforts through AI.”

The report says Iranian actors have long experimented with AI, but advanced Western models have sharply boosted their capabilities. Google has identified state-backed groups such as APT42 using Gemini for reconnaissance and deception.

OpenAI said it has worked to disrupt misuse of its systems. “Where we identify harmful activity, we take enforcement action, including disabling accounts, terminating access, or limiting capabilities being abused,” it said, adding safeguards are in place, and its most advanced models are “not broadly available for use”.

Beyond cyber operations, Iran is also exploring AI in broader military modernisation, including electronic warfare, drone navigation and battlefield decision-making, according to military journal analysis.

Experts say Iran aims to narrow the gap with more advanced militaries, including those of the US and Israel. “Iran wants to keep pace with the cutting-edge militaries,” said Nicole Grajewski, an expert at Sciences Po.

The United States itself has integrated AI into defence systems through firms such as Palantir Technologies and Anthropic, using it for intelligence analysis and battlefield support.

Analysts caution that much of Iran’s AI use remains hidden. “What is being observed is only the tip of the iceberg,” said a cyber analyst.

By Aghakazim Guliyev