Iran weaponizes Western AI to sharpen cyber warfare

Western AI models such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini are increasingly used by Iran’s security apparatus to accelerate cyber operations, enabling malware development, multilingual phishing, and faster, larger-scale attacks; Iran is also building an offline national AI platform to endure internet outages and enhance drone, missile guidance, and electronic warfare, while OpenAI and other providers work to curb abuse. Analysts say Iran’s use of AI spans research, translation, and planning, signaling a rising capability that lags behind Western powers but is closing the gap amid ongoing regional tensions.