OpenAI Disrupts Russian Influence Operation Using ChatGPT to Create Fake Experts Pushing Pro-Moscow Narratives

OpenAI has terminated multiple ChatGPT accounts originating from Russia, accusing them of participating in a covert online disinformation operation.

The company led by Sam Altman identified the issue while analyzing AI-generated social media posts, uncovering a broader influence campaign, according to a blog post published by OpenAI on Tuesday.

The operation centered around a website hosting plagiarized and misattributed academic works, a "sovereignty" index favoring Vladimir Putin's Russia, and efforts to conceal the Russian identity of the operators, according to OpenAI. The operators used Russian-language prompts to generate social media comments posted on platforms including Substack, Telegram, Meta Platforms Inc.'s Facebook, and LinkedIn. They also instructed ChatGPT to mask any linguistic traces indicating a Russian origin.

Most of the generated content promoted an organization called the Institute for International Research (IBI). The IBI website featured articles copied from legitimate academic sources, sometimes with incorrect attribution. The influence operation also created a "sovereignty index" that praised Russia and criticized Western nations.

While the direct impact of the operation appeared limited, OpenAI emphasized that its significance lay in the infrastructure it built. The AI-generated posts pointed to a seemingly credible institution, complete with purported experts, republished academic works, and a claimed proprietary risk index.

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OpenAI stated that AI can help influence operators build credibility, obscure the origins of narratives, and create scalable assets for long-term campaigns.

In June, OpenAI said it had disrupted multiple influence operations targeting the U.S. debate over AI and data centers. One operation, dubbed "data center bandwagon," spread claims that AI data centers drive up household electricity bills.

Another group linked to a China-based tech company with government ties reportedly attempted to influence U.S. policy discussions. OpenAI also banned Chinese-language users who used ChatGPT to create anti-Trump slogans, memes, and multilingual comments for social media and news platforms.