Meta’s Glasses, ChatGPT, and the Rise of High-Tech Extremist Violence

By Sam Hunter, Joel Elson, and Austin Doctor
NCITE Senior Researchers

The FBI has reported that the suspected New Orleans attacker, Shamsud-Din Jabbar, wore a pair of Meta’s smart glasses on at least two occasions in the city to seemingly plan his attack that would come weeks later, on New Year’s Day. In late October and early November, the FBI said that Jabbar used the glasses to record the area, at one point while riding a bike through the French Quarter.

The glasses may have proven a useful planning tool. Terrorism is facing a notable resurgence, and this new wave seems to be openly embracing modern tools available.

The Metaverse as a Tool of Terror

For the uninitiated, the glasses – developed in partnership with Ray-Ban – look like normal reading glasses with several key features. First, they have recording capability with a small camera in the corner. This camera can discreetly capture footage, recording it for later use or livestreaming to users on platforms such as Facebook. Second, newer models are AI-enabled, which can provide real-time landmark descriptions, improved navigation, or general answers to questions akin to ChatGPT. This feature was recently showcased by students at Harvard University who demonstrated the feature’s ability to provide real-time intelligence (i.e., dox) on strangers. Third, the glasses have built in speakers that can allow a user to simply listen to music, take phone calls or – most relevant here – listen to comments from users while livestreaming. These features are designed to improve user experience but can provide unique value to threat actors.

At NCITE, the use of a wearable device to aid in the planning of a terrorist attack is something we have thought about for several years, publishing discussions, tech reports, and a recent academic paper. While Jabbar’s use of Meta’s glasses can be viewed simply as an extension of reconnaissance terrorists have engaged in for years, what is notable is the further blending of physical and digital realities. Eye-level footage, for example feels immersive. It allows for more effective planning as it mimics what would be seen in real life during an attack. This is the emergence of the metaverse, shifting from what is touted in science fiction to the seamless and natural integration of physical and digital realities.

The ISIS-inspired terrorist attack in New Orleans is not the only recent example of violent extremists using emerging metaverse technology. An attack by the Houthis in the Red Sea last fall revealed that the terrorist hijackers were using an Instagram 360 camera to capture footage. This device and others like it allow for footage to be shared and distributed in immersive formats (e.g., virtual reality). This attack is the first we have seen using this type of camera. Even foreign terrorist organizations like the Houthi forces – whose strategic aims are largely domestic and regional in scope – are stepping up their immersive digital approaches.

New Orleans wasn’t the only city to experience an act of violence using emerging tech on New Year’s Day. Hours after the Bourbon Street attack, an active-duty Green Beret blew up his Tesla Cybertruck outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas, killing himself and injuring several others. The man, identified as Matthew Livelsberger, apparently used AI in his planning and used a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED), according to recent reports. While the motive is yet unclear, the use of targeted violence whether aimed toward oneself or others using a VBIED is of concern to us at NCITE. We have several reports and peer-reviewed papers soon to be released on the use of AI in developing new and harmful ideas.

What's Next?

The trend here is clear. Terrorists are embracing digital technology to both plan for and share propaganda highlighting their attacks. It is also something we have anticipated at NCITE for some time with growing unease. As the evidence begins to increase around the use of emerging tech in the planning, execution, and dissemination of attacks, a question begs: What’s next?

The bad news: Reconnaissance runs like those apparently made by Jabbar will be less necessary. Using real-time footage to scout locations using virtual reality technology means terrorists will not have to expose themselves, even using minimally noticeable technology such as the glasses.

Next, although it’s unclear why Jabbar did not apparently activate the streaming feature of his glasses, future attackers probably will. Inspired by the 2019 Christchurch attack in New Zealand and the Halle Synagogue attack later that year in Germany, recent attackers like those in Buffalo, N.Y. have followed suit by livestreaming their attacks. As technology allows viewers and followers to experience the attack in more immersive fashion, terrorists will naturally gravitate toward that technology as a tool to spread their ideology. We must abandon the stereotype of extremists and terrorists as slow to adopt emerging technology. Although sometimes true, we have outlined they can be innovative pioneers as well.

Tech is getting physically smaller, and thanks to AI, exponentially more accessible. Indetectable glasses, other wearables, and devices paired with the power of AI allow for a seamless presentation of real and AI-enhanced images in real time. We need to let go of the image of a bulky headset when we hear “metaverse.” Today’s tech is smaller, sleeker, and more integrated. The attack in New Orleans shows us this as a painful lesson.

The good news: Academic researchers like those at NCITE are fortunate to be able to share their findings with the government. That partnership allows centers like NCITE to gain practical insight into real-life problems and develop research programs that can help those that need it.

Members of the intelligence community are also unheralded in the number of attacks that have been thwarted. While one successful attack is too many, not enough credit is given to those who stop the attacks we never hear about. We have the same tools at our disposal as those that seek to do harm. It will be necessary to leverage our innovative expertise to thwart future attacks. Some agencies have taken this first step. The path must continue.

^{This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security under Grant Award Number 20STTPC00001-05. The views and conclusions contained here are those of the authors and should not be interpreted as necessarily representing the official policies, either expressed or implied, of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.}