AI accelerating online radicalisation in days, Australian Federal Police warns
Synopsis
Australia's federal police have told a parliamentary inquiry that AI has compressed online radicalisation from months-long campaigns into a matter of days — lowering the skills barrier for bad actors and putting youth and vulnerable groups at unprecedented risk. The warning, from AFP acting deputy commissioner Sandra Booth, is a signal that law enforcement believes voluntary industry commitments are no longer adequate.
Key Takeaways
Sandra Booth , acting deputy commissioner at the Australian Federal Police (AFP) , testified before a parliamentary inquiry on 21 October 2026 in Canberra .
AI has reduced the time needed to radicalise or manipulate individuals online from months or years to as little as days in some cases, according to the AFP.
Booth described youth radicalisation as 'one of the greatest challenges the agency has ever faced.' She warned that AI is also lowering the technical skills required to carry out online manipulation at scale.
Without intervention, Australia's mental health, education, finance, and judicial systems could be overwhelmed, according to Booth's testimony.
The bipartisan parliamentary inquiry into AI, established in August 2026 , is due to release its final report by end of November 2026 .
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) has warned that artificial intelligence (AI) is dramatically accelerating the pace at which individuals — particularly young people — can be radicalised or manipulated online, with the process now occurring within days in some cases rather than the months or years it once took. The warning was delivered before a bipartisan parliamentary inquiry into AI in Canberra on 21 October 2026.
What the AFP Told Parliament
Sandra Booth, acting deputy commissioner of National Security Investigations at the AFP, told the parliamentary committee that youth radicalisation and online manipulation now represent 'one of the greatest challenges the agency has ever faced.' She attributed the acceleration to a convergence of factors: the proliferation of AI tools, a growing culture of grievance, young people seeking purpose and belonging, and increasingly sophisticated online networks.
'This can be attributed to artificial intelligence, a growing grievance generation, young people searching for purpose and belonging, and the sophistication of these online networks,' Booth said in her testimony.
How AI Is Changing the Threat Landscape
Booth told the inquiry that AI is not only speeding up radicalisation timelines but also lowering the technical skills required to carry out online manipulation. Previously, orchestrating a sustained radicalisation campaign demanded significant resources and expertise. AI tools now reportedly allow bad actors to automate personalised influence at scale, making vulnerable individuals — especially youth — far easier targets.
'While technology and AI bring many opportunities to society, including for law enforcement agencies, the AFP is deeply concerned AI is accelerating and lowering the skills required to actively manipulate and radicalise victims online, and cause serious harm,' Booth said.
Systemic Risks Flagged Across Society
Booth cautioned the committee that, without serious intervention, the downstream effects could overwhelm multiple institutions. She specifically flagged Australia's mental health, education, finance, and judicial systems as potentially unable to cope with younger generations and vulnerable people who are repeatedly victimised online.
'Manipulation and the grievances criminals fuel can cause distrust in communities and fray our social fabric,' she warned. This comes amid a broader global debate about the regulatory frameworks needed to govern AI-enabled harms, with jurisdictions from the European Union to India developing their own legislative responses.
About the Parliamentary Inquiry
The bipartisan parliamentary inquiry into AI was established in August 2026 to examine both the opportunities and risks presented by the technology. Its mandate covers a wide range of sectors, with national security emerging as one of the most urgent areas of concern. The inquiry is expected to release its final report by the end of November 2026, and its findings could shape how Australia regulates AI-driven platforms and tools used for manipulation or harm.
What Comes Next
Law enforcement bodies and policymakers across the world will be watching the inquiry's final recommendations closely. The AFP's testimony signals a push for legislative and technological safeguards that go beyond current voluntary industry commitments. Experts argue that the speed advantage now held by bad actors using AI underscores the urgency of proactive, rather than reactive, regulation.
Point of View
Not merely a technology-policy debate. The shift from months to days in radicalisation timelines is operationally significant: it means traditional counter-radicalisation programmes — built around slow-burn intervention — are structurally outpaced before they can begin. What the inquiry must reckon with is that platform self-regulation, the default posture of the past decade, was designed for a pre-generative-AI world. If the AFP's warnings translate into Booth's recommended 'serious intervention,' the real question is whether Australia's legislative machinery can move at anything close to the speed of the threat.
NationPress
21 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did the Australian Federal Police say about AI and radicalisation?
The AFP warned that AI has reduced the time required to radicalise or manipulate individuals online from months or years to as little as days in some cases. Acting deputy commissioner Sandra Booth told a parliamentary inquiry on 21 October 2026 that this is one of the greatest challenges the agency has ever faced.
Who is Sandra Booth and why does her testimony matter?
Sandra Booth is the acting deputy commissioner of National Security Investigations at the Australian Federal Police. Her testimony to a bipartisan parliamentary inquiry into AI carries significant weight because it represents the AFP's official position on the national security risks posed by AI-enabled manipulation and radicalisation.
Which groups are most at risk from AI-driven online radicalisation?
According to Booth's testimony, young people and vulnerable individuals are most at risk. She warned that, without serious intervention, repeated victimisation could overwhelm Australia's mental health, education, finance, and judicial systems.
What is Australia's parliamentary inquiry into AI and when will it report?
The bipartisan parliamentary inquiry into AI was established in August 2026 to examine the opportunities and risks of the emerging technology. It is expected to release its final report by the end of November 2026, and national security has emerged as one of its most urgent areas of focus.
How does AI lower the barrier for online manipulation?
According to the AFP, AI tools now allow bad actors to automate and personalise influence campaigns at scale, reducing the technical skills previously required to orchestrate sustained radicalisation efforts. This makes it easier for criminals to target and manipulate vulnerable individuals rapidly and in large numbers.
